May 2, 2021 THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

 Just registered for my first race in over a year. AND IT'S A BIGGY. A half marathon. I haven't run one since my injury 3 years ago. Not even sure I should attempt it BUT looking forward to getting the gang back together again. It should be VERY interesting. Right now one of us has an injury (NOT ME) another has only been running 3 miles and I've been trying to sneak in a 6 miler on the weekends.  WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT IN HALF MARATHON SHAPE. FYI--They just opened up registration for the 59th Annual John Kelley Road Race. This is the only FREE race around--and they are ONLY taking 1000 runners. So if you've been thinking about committing to a beautiful scenic run--and want to get in some distance--this is the race for you. It's always a great time. They have a band after the race and there's NOTHING BETTER than a COLD BEER and BAD NACHOS. There is also another fun run/walk coming up on May 16th--the 4th annual Dylan Konakowitz Memorial Run. I'll definitely get my feet wet at that run.  They have a great basket raffle, food, drink and music too. If you don't feel comfortable running in person--the run is also available virtually. Check it out.  After you check out the local races, check out this debut novel by Nancy Jooyoun Kim called The Last Story of Mina Lee. Margot Lee is a 26 years old Korean American who moved to Seattle after college leaving her mother behind in Koreatown , LA. She decides to travel to Koreatown to visit her mother, Mina Lee, after repeated attempts to reach her by phone fail. When she arrives home, she finds her mother died in the living room. This discovery sends Margot digging into her mother's past because she is suspicious even though the police believe the death is accidental. The story then flips back and forth between Margot's quest to discover what happened to her mother, and her mother's arrival in the United States in 1987 as an undocumented immigrant. This book is part mystery, part love story and part examination of the immigration process in the 1980's. By the end of this novel, Margot finally understands her mother's struggles-- an orphan of the Korean War who came to American to try to have a better life. This book is about 380 pages or a 4 mile run that is worth the read. It will make you thankful that you are an American, but also give you a little empathy for other people seeking The American Dream.