July 14, 2016 SHOW ME THE WAY TO GO HOME

  Every August I run a 12 mile race in the blazing heat. The race used to start at 11:00 but organizers decided to change it to 9:00 a few years ago because people were dropping like flies during the run. It is not for the faint of heart. Die hard runners from all over come to this popular race because it honors a local Boston Marathon Winner and it's FREE.  Just so you know--I am not a die hard runner--the first  few times I ran it, my biggest fear was that I would come in last place!! Anyways, this run has become a rite of passage every summer--for better or worse--a tradition I enjoy with my other running friends. Preparing for this race entails running in the heat & humidity. Some runs are reminiscent of Florida in July--you can cut the air with  a knife. On days like this, I have been known to dunk my head in water fountains, beg for water from perfect strangers and even jump in the ocean. Even though jumping in the ocean is refreshing, it is out of character for me. One word sums up why--JAWS.  Believe it or not, I am still afraid of the ocean because of a movie I saw when I was a kid. Every time I get in the water, I hear the music and have to talk myself out of running and screaming. This might sound even crazier, but I still watch the movie every year during Shark Week. My favorite character in the story is Quint, the shark hunter, who survived the USS Indianapolis tragedy.

His Indianapolis speech is unforgettable and led me to read Doug Stanton's book In Harm's Way.
Although this is nonfiction, it is not a dry read. Stanton draws the reader into the story with fluid writing-- you will not be able to put this 400 pager down. It is not a difficult read, probably a 10k in running terms.
Stanton's book is about the top secret mission of the Indianapolis during World War II  to deliver the bomb that was  eventually dropped over Hiroshima. After delivering the bomb, the cruiser was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. Stanton's story comes from interviewing  the survivors---only 317 out of the 900 thrown into the shark infested waters. Because the mission was top secret, no one knew. The survivors spent 5 harrowing days in  the water before being rescued.   It is a tragic but important story about the sacrifices made by our servicemen. Don't take our freedom for granted. Thank a veteran  today.