Leaving Los Angeles

Ten hours in the air from Fiji was to be followed by nine hours of layover in Los Angeles, CA. After all that we had the final leg of our trip, a five hour flight to Atlanta. I don't mind long travel days. For me, layovers are simply an excuse to go out and jog in the city surrounding the airport. As I prepared to hit the streets of the City of Angles it occurred to me that it had been a long time since my last run here. Then the penny dropped. It was March 8 of 1997. I ran in Pomona, CA, a suburb of LA. That night I missed a plane and stayed up all night in the airport. I caught the first flight home in the morning.

I didn't exercise immediately upon arrival. Shannan picked me up and we went out for dinner to celebrate her brother's birthday. Exhausted, I fell asleep in the car on the way home. Once we arrived I couldn't muster the energy to exercise. March 9, 1997 that was the last day I did not exercise. The 15 year old memory suddenly seemed raw and fresh. I hurried to get out and run. I relished in each stride as I clicked off four miles.  

The real trick would come the next day. To top off a long travel day we had a red-eye flight home. Yes, was a little out of sorts from traveling, time changes and the like. Nonetheless, the first thing I did when we got to the house was preserve The Streak. Alas, the curse of The Streak has been left in Los Angeles. 

Keep running.

Tom