Another trip around the sun - for that that's worth. Another year memorialized in pictures. Maybe "memorialized" should be in quotes.
As usual, most of these have not been posted in this blog, though there are no doubt a few repeats. Some might have shown up on Instagram or Facebook. In the beginning, I used to post 2-3 pics per month, but I've gotten away from that. Most still do, but some months (August and October) are heavier in volume than others.
Brace yourself: there are more than enough running pictures here, but it is how I spent 2023.
January 2023 - Omen.
Not a great start of pictures for the year. (psssst....it's a corpse)
January 2023 - Hey, yourself, Ms / Mr. Researcher !
January 2023 - Friend.
Had cocktails and appetizers with my friend Lori, whom I met in 1981 !!!
We still converse and see each other every few years. Love her to death.
January 2023 - Sweat.
Gym participation still going very strong.
February 2023 - Initial Running Club meeting / run.
It was 12° and a five mile run. Beer afterwards. I had water. IKR?
February 2023 - It's not big enough for me.
February 2023 - Be My Valentine
February 2023 - Full Moon Aura.
February 2023 - Running Club Saturday.
I would already have a sore hip here, and before the end of the day, I'd fuck up my knee. Notice the snow and ice covering on the parking lot - which would extend to the roads and trails.
March 2023 - the limited edition Partridge Family Bus Coat.
March 2032 - Are You My Mother?
I sent that, and the above quote, to my friends. No one responded. Fuckers. It was funny & cute.
March 2023 - Emergency Ortho Clinic.
I stopped a run 400 ft into an 8 mile run. I knew I couldn't do it - so I went immediately to an ortho clinic. THAT is how bad the knee felt.
April 2023 - Best Friends
It's tough to get us ALL together, and we didn't. We were missing 710 and Jon. But Jackie (far left) made it all the way from Australia. In a way, Jackie is responsible for this group - having introduced Jon and myself to Morty, was already friends with Becky and Ditto. .....the spouses would come later.
April 2023 - Crossing the Finish line.
Hermes 10-miler. 1:48.
April 2023 - My First Medal.
.....and it was big. This is Joe, I met him at the race and we kept the same pace for most of the run.
April 2023 - Xmas in April.
I kind of love that this person hasn't taken down his decorations.
May 2023 - first half-marathon finish !
I'm not usually very happy with myself - but I was at this moment
(even though the face does not show that).
May 2023 - Cleveland Half Marathon
the aforementioned Joe with his friend Daniel. They have additional medals because they also ran a 10k.
May 2023 - bumper cars at Blossom Time.
I walked through the rides and attractions before they opened for the day.
Something neat and weird about abandoned looking carnival stuff.
May 2023 - Blossom Time Run 5.25 miler, mid-race photo capture.
June 2023 - I found a Simon (actually, he found me) in the gym parking lot...
June 2023 - ....and then I went to Pride
June 2023 - ....where I ran into my friend Martin.
June 2023 - Global Running Day.
It was a non-timed 5k. Shep was able to see me run.
June 2023 - Ick.
June 2023 - Cousin bonding time at Bow Wow Beach
June 2023 - Matchbox waiting to be found.
June 2023 - people getting the word out on our bullshit special election.
July 2023 - I really am going to need to see the comparative data.
July 2023 - a beautiful tree in one of our favourite parks taken down my Mother Nature.
July 2023 - Instigator.
Barely with us three weeks and Simon is pushing buttons.
July 2023 - Malaprop.
I passed this sign at work, then walked back so I could take the picture. And I did it speedily.
August 2023 - Visitation.
My friend Doug, and his twin, visited us from Chicago and Wisconsin respectively.
August 2023 - 10K
I did my first 6.2 race down in Akron. That's clock time, not chip time!
August 2023 - Storm a-brewin'.
Artsy.
August 2023 - Morning Run.
I'm SO clever!
August 2023 - pre-dawn run on the Mall #2 (#1 is above)
August 2023 - and #3
August 2023 - Planet World in DC.
None of you guessed the phrase in the original post. How about this one?
August 2023 - 60.
Start of the 60th / Vacation mash-up. the Smithsonian Natural History Museum seemed apropos.
August 2023 - BFFs
All the folks you read about here are here in this picture. They "gladly" came on holiday with us and I could not have been more thrilled.
August 2023 - Dinner.
Lord, I can only imagine what story was going on here. It seems like a good one!
August 2023 - Beatles Red and Blue Album outtake.
August 2023 - CAKE!
No, there were not 60 candles on it. Who has got THAT kind of money.....or time?
August 2023 - Run.
Yes, I ran - and right into the ocean (literally) at the end of of said run.
September 2023 - Blue Angels. All 6 of 'em.
September 2023 - IYKYK.
Lightsaber as a back windshield wiper: brilliant!
September 2023 - Tendinitis.
But keeping the Ortho industry afloat by my lonesome.
September 2023 - Field of Opportunities.
My ortho place has a full football field. Seems a waste of space to me, but.......
September 2023 - ArcelorMittal Steel Plant
....as seen, at 65 mph, on my way to an early morning run.
September 2023 - Same. (embiggen to read)
September 2023 - new gym crush.
He's not as hot as my last guy (but he's gone now). He's weird-ish. But still easy on the eyes.
September 2023 - Hope he saw the note.
October 2023 - Rock & Roll Hall O'Fame 10k.
October 2023 - HOV lane approved!
October 2023 - Strip Pickleball.
Well, that's what I hope it was. Should it be played at all, it should be without shirts.
October 2023 - What could go wrong?
October 2023 - Columbus Marathon !!!!!
As much as I loved my b-day get together, this was the highlight of my year.
I trained hard. I worked a lot. It was overcoming mental and physical challenges - and I did it.
This is mile 24 or so. Had there been no photographic evidence, I wouldn't have thought I looked this strong at this point in the race.
October 2023 - mile 25.5
Members from the running group were out on the field to cheer us on.
It was a boost I'd need for the last mile.
October 2023 - Marathoner: official
Part of me was annoyed with this guy in my shot, but actually, it's perfect.
October 2023 - Finish line!
Again: clock time, not chip time!
October 2023 - Beauty & the Beast
No offense to anyone, but this might be my favourite picture of the year.
(post race. post nap. post shower!)
November 2023 - the bag isn't wrong.
November 2023 - voting in our Handmaid's Tale election.
November 2023 - INKY
Maybe it is because I had a dog named Inky growing up, but I've been digging whomever is tagging areas around the 216 with this.
November 2023 - 2nd half-marathon.
I was not thrilled with my performance.
November 2023 - Turkey Trot
....four days after the half-marathon. I'm not sure I've looked hotter! (LOLLLLLL. I kill me!)
December 2023 - Test drive.
I got to demo some new shoes. I wasn't impressed. But I was taken aback by the Simian in me.
December 2023 - Anna.
Why? Is there some gay demographic who would buy this ornament? There cannot possibly be a positive ROI on this product. Or Gandhi below her.
December 2023 - Refuge.
After being attacked by Simon, my Hanukkah troll was placed safely in the tree.
.....and yes, I get the irony.
December 2023 - Trippy.
I wasn't even drunk. It was 07:00......but I still wasn't drunk.
There was a time I'd have to really sell that statement.
December 2023 - Frosty 5.
Yes, it WAS my last race of the year. Me & the big guy!
December 2023 - Important.
I could have just as easily had this as my first post image for 2024, but it's also fitting for my last of 2023.
None of the questions are asked, or answered, lightly.
That's a wrap folks. 2023 is in the bag.
Onward............
