Travels With Donald

Good things about traveling to a business conference:

1. Time to catch up on reading.
2.
2. (thinking…)
2. (Hmmm…still thinking…)

There has to be something else, right? I really hate these trips.

I’m spending three days away from home and family and – almost as importantly – from my regular training program. Truthfully, I’m not too bothered about the decreased running, since I’m tapering for next weekend’s Napa Valley Marathon, and should try to let my body heal a bit.

Of course, picking up a communicable disease isn’t exactly the best thing for tapering, either. So you can imagine how paranoid I am to spend several hours in an enormous flying incubator. I’m convinced I’ll either get sick, or develop a debilitating blood clot. Can you tell I’m not crazy about flying?

But in the interest of preserving my sanity, I’m committing myself to focus on the positive aspects of this trip, which thus far has produced the list you see above.

About the reading…I just love books. The problem is that I never have enough time to read them. I have books on my shelf that I’ve never read, because I saw them and bought them, and 6 months later I walk past the bookshelf and think to myself, “I should read that book soon.” So traveling alone fills that void nicely. Even so, I’ve brought three books with me, and there’s no way I’ll finish them all, especially if I keep typing into this laptop.

Speaking of which, I finally found an open electrical outlet after walking the length of a concourse at LAX. There were four of us sitting around a pillar – one businessman checking his stock trades, another placing sports wagers, a slacker-looking teenager playing Sims, and me, the blogger (and yes, I was peeking at all of them). Los Angeles truly is a melting pot.

I’m about halfway into a book I’m really enjoying, which I’ll describe later. But I’ve thought of a few other good developments today, and I’ll end on those:

Seeing the Monterey Peninsula from the air at sunrise is indescribably beautiful. I’ve lived here for 10 years and I’m still amazed by the natural beauty of the area. The few opportunities I have to see it from the air are special, even if it’s on a plane carrying me away from home.

I’ve always wondered if Starbucks’s $4.00 tazo green tea is any different and/or better than the Good Earth tea bags I buy at the grocery store. So today, with my company picking up the tab, I decided to find out. They’re not that different. But now I know. I’ll sleep better now.

I came across a Body Shop at one of the airport concourses, so I was able to replace the bottle of $8 hair lotion that my two-year-old squeezed into our bathroom sink a few days ago. You’re off the hook for that one now, Boo.

My hotel has Internet access! Well, duh…that’s why you’re reading this.

Finally, I’ve written almost two full posts without any real mention of running, so here’s a quick update. I ran the Loop (13 miles) on Tuesday, and my leg didn’t bother me too much, but I ran several minutes slower than usual. I’m not sure if that’s progress, but I’m not going to dwell on it for now.

One more volume of the Napa Chronicles is coming soon, then I’ll commence the countdown to the race on March 5th.