RUNNING AND SAN DIEGO (no, not running TO San Diego)

First, an update on the 5K training situation. This morning, I ran for two miles without stopping and walked the last mile. Progress, progress (please hold your applause).

Oddly enough, the longer I run now, the more normal and even my breathing gets. It seemed like I sounded in more distress for the first half mile than I did for the last mile and a half. Is there a physiological reason for that? (Anyone? Anyone? Is there a doctor in the house?)

Second, we did a two-day trip to San Diego on Tuesday and Wednesday. Riddle for the day: What has four legs, four arms, two heads, and doesn’t stop talking for 24 hours? Answer: Two old army buddies who haven’t seen each other since February 1969 when they left Lai Kai, Vietnam, to come back to the U.S.

Tom and his army buddy have kept in touch over the years at Christmas and birthdays (they share a birthday—same month, day, and year). And since we were only a few hours away in Arizona, Tom decided that it was time to see his old buddy in person. When his old friend opened his front door, the men smiled, shook hands, and immediately assured each other that they hadn’t changed a bit except for a little less hair. It was like those 41 years melted away and they were “Jimbo” and “Tombo” again.

“We haven’t changed a bit."

Our very good hosts took us to see some beautiful spots around San Diego including Coronado Island, Cabrillo National Monument Park, Balboa Park, Old Town San Diego, and the San Diego Bay area.

Here are a few shots of the breathtaking scenery.

Sunset on the Pacific Ocean

View of San Diego Bay from Cabrillo National Monument Park

Old Town San Diego

Of course, we needed much more than a day to see San Diego, so we put it on our list of places to visit when we can stay a little longer.

However, the main purpose of this trip wasn’t to see San Diego. It was a chance for Tom to revisit a time of his life when he was young and in a war zone, very far away from his sheltered life in North Dakota. His old friend “Jimbo” was one of the people who helped him make it through that tough time in his life. After five minutes of checking each other over, those intervening 41 years disappeared. Once again, they became 24-year-old second lieutenants, laughing over pranks and reminding each other of names and places they had in common from the 1960s.

It was like they had never been apart.