September 9, 2004:

Desperately panting at the summit of the hill, thinking, "Oh, dude, let's go to the bowling alley and eat french fries."

He had a theory. The first day back to all-day running was difficult because during the school year your lungs had closed up from lack of use. Nevermind weekends and after school: all-day is different. So that at first you have to take breaks, catch your wind. There was nothing for it but to work it out by running. Then suddenly after half a day or three quarters of a day you're running and there! you feel it. Your lungs open, it's like a popping sensation inside your chest as those clogged lung pores stretch and empty and release. After that you can run permanently without breaks for breath.

He was right. We did that the first day of summer year after year. We planned it. "First day, time to run." On the blacktop of the basketball courts at our Junior High. Running full-court, back and forth, passing the ball between us, a single lay-up at one end, then all the way down court for a single lay-up at the other end, all day back and forth until our lungs opened, his always before mine, but mine too eventually.