on your MARK, get set, go!: I LOVE LAYOVERS, FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, AND CHEESEBURGERS!

Evening All,

After leaving Long Island, I caught a flight to Philadelphia where I had a 2 hour layover. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be very news worthy. However, this layover was anything but ordinary. It was fabulous for a few reasons. One, there was a Chic-Fil-A! Incredible. Two, after getting my 12-piece nugget meal, I made my way over to the dining section. It was here that I approached a table to eat at just as two beautiful young women arrived at the same time. I may have said "I don't bite. Care to join me for dinner?" Or at least that was what my brain was thinking. I probably mumbled some incoherent babble. Next thing I know, I am sharing a meal with Anna and Angela, two accomplished flight school graduates! Top of their class I have no doubt. Honestly, I have no idea how I pulled off a double dinner date with these two. I really really don't know how it happened. I think they may have assumed I was homeless and could use some company. Anyways, I am not complaining. I had the best layover in the history of layovers. Thank you ladies, and if you see me on your next flight, I swear, it's a coincidence. Until then, good luck with 50 Shades Of Grey ladies!

After Philadelphia, I made my way back out to the west coast. Good Morning San Diego! I am in Pacific Beach, about 10 miles north of Tijuana. My dear friends Pete and Amanda graciously took me in last night with no advanced notice! Yikes!

Today, I made my way to the beach and finished my book West Of Jesus by Steven Kotler. Very interesting read. Check it out. Afterwords, I decided to run the beach. My goal was 4 miles. However, it wasn't to run 4 miles in approximately an hour. Running the beach here comes with a few more distractions than Wollaston Beach in Quincy, MA. Running the beach shouldn't be dangerous. Today it was, as my eyes were on anything but where I was running. I'll let you guess what was catching my attention. It wasn't the boogie boards.

Tonight, I decided to give the beach another go. I buckled down and focused on running the length of Pacific Beach and back. 10K. This time, tunnel vision. I had one of my best workouts in months. It felt great.

When I made it back to Pete and Amanda's, we all got in the car and made our way over to the local hot spot known as Rockys Burgers. The place was legit! I wonder if I can go there for breakfast tomorrow...

Ok, that's about all I have. Time to crack open the second Hunger Games book!

Mark/Chops

"You can lose all your money, lose all your gold

You never lose your heart and no one can take your soul"

- Crazy Game Of Poker by the band O.A.R. powered me through tonight's run. Give it a listen!

2 OUT OF 3 OF US HAVE GRADUATED FLIGHT SCHOOL! I'LL LET YOU GUESS WHO. MEET ANNA AND ANGELA. GOSH, I LOVE LAYOVERS. THERE ARE TWO WAYS THIS PICTURE COULD BE USED AS A TOOTHPASTE AD. 1: PUT SOME SLEEVES ON THE GUY IN THE MIDDLE. OR, BETTER OPTION 2: TAKE THE MIDDLE GUY OUT OF THE PICTURE COMPLETELY. TALK ABOUT SMILES THAT LIGHT UP A ROOM. THESE TWO ARE FAR TOO PRETTY TO BE HANGING WITH THE LIKES OF ME.