Chess and Checkers House

Central Park in New York City is a magical place. As I ran there this morning, I passed the Chess and Checkers House, atop a little knoll. I couldn’t see inside the house, which was closed so early in the morning, but all around it were chess/checkers boards on sturdy concrete stands, each with sturdy concrete seats, obviously inviting players to spend their summers there. How cool that is, and only one of the many attractions of Central Park.

I had a lovely run in Central Park this morning, and was amazed to find myself with thousands of other runners, along with hundreds of people on bikes. I ran up the main road, I think called Park Drive (?), and actually had to dodge other people at times. I went for an hour, 30 minutes out and 30 back, running for about 15 seconds of every two minutes or so, running longer uphill, and running shorter or not at all on the downhills because that’s bumpier on the recent hernia surgery. That's at least four miles, I’m sure. I’m a happy runner.

I have been running my most recent marathons in honor of Team Continuum to help raise money for that cause. Tonight I received an award from Team Continuum for sustaining the spirit of the group’s founder, Paul Nicholls, who also had myeloma and also ran marathons with myeloma. Quite a man - I wish I had known him. Even more, I wish that myeloma had not claimed him before his time. I miss him, even though I never knew him.

The award itself is a heavy leaded-class crystal almost a foot high with a chisel top. Quite elegant. Photos were taken back in the hotel room, as I relaxed in the hotel's bathrobe:

You just never know what you might see when you come around a corner in New York City: