I remember my first Marathon. Eons ago. I remember it with great affection. I don't think the authorities will ever forget it.
OK, so it didn't involve donning those dance shoes and eating pasta the night before. It was in college back in Ohio. Just before that eviction from the dorm.
A gaggle of us were experiencing our first beers and we decided to drink 26 beers in honor of Pheidippides,the dude that ran that first 26 mile marathon way back when.
It was back in Rome, or maybe it was Greece. Maybe Cleveland. Whatever. No relation to Philippe's Original pork-dipped sanwhiches in Chinatown.
Over the years and over the beers I guess I was silently in training for the L.A. Marathon running today across the streets of the City of Angels and Actors.
The only real prep for today's race was watching and watching again a slightly scratched DVD of 50's bodybuilder Steve Reeves."The Giant of Marathon" was a Swords and Sandals Italian movie epic that I still watch on a weekly basis. I found that precious cinematic delight in a bargain bin at Amoeba in L.A. The original Amoeba.
Some nights when the Demons come and I haven't heard from Central Casting in forever, I relive a strange scenario. A nightmare that disturbs my REM sleep.
I imagine I'm in the original race. Running next to me is 50's Mr. Universe, Steve Reeves. He is in great shape and style and impressing all the sidewalk spectators.
Steve is ahead. I'm running behind. Trying to catch up. What else is new?
Both my apologies and my congratulations to all the runners in today's L.A. Marathon.
Yes, in the L.A. Marathon 2026, once again I was an also-ran.
But, enough about me...
