The problem with running on a summer evening is that because sweat runs down your back like the Mighty Mississip, there’s nothing left with which to spit out bugs.
This is why I run in the morning, while the bugs are still sleeping.
I have been released from the depths of dingy hotel workout rooms and am back pounding the pavement of the lovely country roads of Franconia. My schedule became more tangled than the kids’ kite strings during vacation, and it is proving a challenge to straighten it out.
To answer last week’s questions:
1) One does not train while on a cruise of the Rhine River. Instead, you sit and drink coffee for three hours while listening to Brazilian tourists sing drinking songs. Judging by their stout bodies, these men had years of experience in the drinking of beer.
2) The climbs up to the castles in the sweltering heat were workouts in themselves. Simply arriving at the top without dehydrating was an accomplishment. I didn’t even think about doing hill repeats.
3) After a day of tromping around castles, I sought out the hotel workout room. The place was deserted, so I was able to choose whichever TV channel I wanted: SpongeBob in German or tennis. The match was less than spectacular.
4) Perhaps I was “supposed to” run 15 miles the day we drove back. However, I have discovered “supposed to” is a relative phrase. In reality, I am supposed to balance having a real life with marathon training. I postponed my long run until the day the guests were safely on the train to the airport. I couldn’t do 15 without injuring myself, so I did 11 instead. And honestly, I was quite proud of the 11.
Vacation has been a lesson in flexibility. The trick is to determine how much flexibility I can have without compromising performance. The test of my flexible vacation schedule will come on Sunday, when I run my half-marathon.
I’ll bring extra water, so I can perfect the fine art of bug spitting.
Stats:
Miles: Tuesday 11, Wednesday 4, Thursday 6
Aches & Pains: My right knee was just killing me after the long run. I’ve dedicated more time to stretching, which has helped a lot. On a positive note, I was able to climb up the castle paths with relative ease. It felt great to not gasp for breath or fear a heart attack on the climbs.
Weather: Intermittent summer. Sunny & in the 70s low 80s on some days. Cloudy & in the 50s & 60s other days.
Wildlife: lots of deer, rabbits, bugs, and farmers’ wives hoeing the fields.
Auf Gehts, Mama! 
Keri, I can see a new book, Mother Robin teaching her children which bugs to eat and which ones to avoid. Ha! Ha! You must have a new respect for frogs and birds by now.
I can imagine that your heart is in excellent shape, your muscles superb and that you have burned off any extra calories that you may have consumed. Your aunt Barbara is interested and impressed by the burning off of calories: you are her inspiration .
Laith says that some of his friends in his Israeli style Martial Arts class use Traumeel cream for joint pain. Some even use it in the injectable form. I think that I would stick to the cream, I am always afraid of allergic reactions.
Ghanim and I wish you well in training and the actual marathon. In our minds, you have already won! Your self-discipline is amazing.