Recuperating from a 5 mile run on the treadmill. It took 57 minutes, so 12-minute mile or 5 miles per hour. While waiting for a machine to open up, I watched three people running side by side on the treadmills at either 7 or 8 miles per hour pace. The marathon I’m running is in the fall, so I have some time to improve my pace. I have a lot of running to do.
While running, I listened to the second installment of This American Life podcast series about Harper High School in Chicago. I think the series is exemplary radio journalism. It probes into a difficult reality and explores difficult emotions resulting from that reality. I was happy to run but sad to be confronted with painful truth that, for so many children in this country, every day is like living in war. Every day the students and faculty of Harper High School struggle with trauma, grief, anxiety, and pain resulting from gun violence. Every time I heard the voice of school social worker Crystal Winfield Smith, my face would crumple and I’d have to fight back tears. She’s a hero.
The magic of open web is enabling the story of Harper to be heard and is making possible online donations for Harper. The magic of open web is also enabling me to run next Sunday along the beach in Antalya, Turkey. I am so blessed. My life is not overrun by fear of being shot at randomly or recklessly. A stroke of luck has made it possible for me to travel to Europe next week for fraction of the cost. On top of that, awesome photographer and blogger Melissa has generously offered to host me for the weekend. I am one very lucky girl. I try to mull on that when I run.