“Wow! A golden spatula! It’s even got my name on it!”

— SpongeBob

—

The Cute Chick was out riding her bike on the course today. I complimented her on her shirt, which looked suspiciously like mine.

“Thanks!” she said. “It’s sparkly. Like my effervescent personality!”

And then she drank all my soda.

There’s just something about that first day of the temperature dropping below 180 degrees. Clouds kept Mr. Sun from causing too much havoc. A slight breeze felt cool. COOL! And the miles were a breeze as well.

There were actually people out at the Smoocha Mucha Lucha Lasso course. The hilarious smush-face dog pushing his big red ball at 60 mph. Fast Woman doing intervals on the grass. Who came up with the idea that grass is easier to run on than the sidewalk? A latter-day hippie barefoot on the asphalt with his four-legged sidekick, a sure sign that the day was tolerable.

The four miles prescribed by Coach Kim for the Fit PA Fancy Pants Training Plan© were a joy. That sort of run that makes you wish you could do it every day, until you realize you CAN do it every day. What could be better? Maybe running in a sparkly shirt. But mine seems to be missing.

The plan is going by quickly. It seems like only yesterday that I started it. I made my rounds on the little 0.39 mile course, tried not to think about how close the Jackrabbit race is, and lamented that my soda had somehow disappeared. Maybe the worst of the summer heat is over. In a couple of months. Maybe Tailwind will come out with an effervescent flavor.

I hope the race offers golden spatulas for the finishers. Maybe it will even have my name on it. Ching sparkle sparkle indeed.