15 years too old, 15 pounds too fat, 4 seconds too slow.

No Claire, this is not describing any recent romantic encounters.

Two weeks ago I went up to Osan (where the other base is located) with a buddy and we biked some of the trails there, which was a lot of fun. That is, until I flew head first over my handlebars, onto my wrist, rolling over my shoulders, and then popping up with blood all over my knee. It wasn't even a particular steep or difficult trail, so I'm still not sure what exactly happened. The trail I was riding joined into another larger trail, though the intersection was blocked by trees. So imagine the little Korean lady's surprise when a white guy all of the sudden appeared in front of her, dirty and bloody.

So I seriously thought I broke my wrist. It hurt really bad and driving home was difficult. Luckily, the x-rays the following Monday didn't show any fracture, and what I thought might be snuffbox tenderness went away. The meaty part of my palm near the thumb was bruised and really swollen and doing pushups was off limits for a few days. I even decided that I'd take a whole week off and Gasp! not ride.

Instead, I ran a few times that week, which was timely since I'd just signed up to run the 5K on Sports Day this past Tuesday. This was fine with me since it meant the clinic was closed. I've ran all of about 4 times since I arrived here in Korea, so I'm definitely not in very good running shape, though I'd like to think that I've stayed in decent overall shape with the biking. But it's been a really long time since I've ran any race, so I wasn't sure how I'd do. And you know how it is: you get a little competitive, you stand around the starting line, sizing up the competition, wondering whether the dork in the matching tank top, short shorts, and racing flats is actually any good or just likes wearing short shorts. (By the way, he wasn't that fast)

So the race started and I stayed up with short shorts and a guy with whom he was running, who looked like a real runner despite NOT wearing short shorts. Of course we past the homers who lined up first at the start, sprinted out, then died after the first mile. At the turnaround, it was "NOT short shorts", me, and a Korean guy, who eventually fell off pace. So I just drafted off "NOT short shorts," slowing down when he did, and just trying to stay with him when he sped up. Figured maybe I'd be able to outkick him. And I was wrong. After we finished I asked him how old he is.

- 20 -

Where did you run?

- Small college in New Jersey -

Oh.

So I didn't feel so bad about losing to him, although looking back I keep thinking that maybe I could have ran a little bit harder at the end and maybe beaten him. He ran something like an 18.16, which isn't blazing. If I was 10 years younger, I would have smoked him ... I just know it. You can bet things would have different. I'd be making millions of dollars, and livin' in a big 'ol mansion somewhere. You know, soaking it up in a hot tub with my soulmate.