YEAH, I am not kidding, but let me get there!

So Johanna and I were doing our easy 4 this morning in the reservoir as usual. I met Johanna through the Loop a couple of months ago, and how convenient, we have similar pace and she lives 2 blocks away; but she is moving to Vermont this weekend so this was our last run together…

We headed out to do a couple of loops of the reservoir at 6:15 am. Right at the entrance of the park, I am doing all these silly pirouettes to show her how I stretch my quads (I am really bendy so I have to go all crazy to stretch!) and then a white unmarked car, and two huge black Cadillacs with tinted windows get right up on the bridle path. Not Cool. Is that really necessary? Oh well, the UN is in assembly this week so you get used to this kind of mess… it took me TWO hours to get home last night (when it’s usually 30 minutes) because of the gridlock…

We see a bunch of guys getting out of the cars, some secret service, some in shorts and running shoes. They have plain cotton shirts and one of them has a soccer jersey. I go “it’s gotta be a Mexican mandatary“… They head up to Reservoir, which is where we are going. A mile later, the 5 of them pass us… And I see the back of the soccer jersey: it says EVO. Just that. And I screamed “Is that President Evo Morales??“!!! They turn around and go yes! So I shout back, in Spanish now, Have a great Run and Good luck…

Evo turns around!!! He looks, nods and says Gracias querida. I almost flipped. We were giggling like teenagers!!!! How cool is that??? Way to go with a bang, Johanna! We thought we should pass them to show off, but I had done speedwork yesterday and she had done a tempo, so we decided we’d pass them on the second loop. After all, they were doing 9 minute miles!

(I was going to insert pictures of the Mexican and Bolivian soccer shirts so you could see how I got confused, but the site is not collaborating with me today… Trust me (or hit the links), they’re IDENTICAL!!l)

Seriously though, how cool is that?

Ah, every run in the park is a little adventure..

When I was there last night, I had another crazy moment. I was just running and I hear loud music, and then it hit me!!! PAVEMENT!!!! Best band of the 90s was doing their reunion show in CP this week, and I had totally forgotten all about it. I got closer to the bandshell and I could hear them!!! OMFG, it’s EFFING PAVEMENT!!! LIVE!!! OMFG!! I couldn’t see them but I caught a bit of Shady Lane, some song I didn’t recognize, and Spit on a Stranger. I was shaking, my legs were shaking!! Maybe it was because I was sweaty and I got cold standing there, but OMFG, it was Pavement!!!!

I listened for a bit and then I run home wondering if I dream these things. At least I had a witness today.