Running and Touching

My sister, Kathy, decided to start running to lose weight and get into better shape about 15 years ago.  Jim, her husband, had always been a bike rider, so he switched over to running with Kathy with no problem - and still kept riding his bicycle.  Kathy has run in a few marathons, but usually competes in half-marathons, or shorter races.  Jim runs in everything he can fit into his calendar.  Saturday morning, Kathy and Jim drove up to Georgetown for the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half-marathon.  Kathy didn't compete, but Jim did.  He finished second in his age division (65 to 69), and received a medal and a pin for his effort.  We're all very proud of him.  (Me?  I have back, hip, knee, ankle and feet problems and can't run... that's why I walk dogs.)  Jim will have his 70th birthday next month.  And guess what he's going to do this coming weekend?  He's running in the Pikes Peak Double.  On Saturday, the 17th, my brother-in-law will run the Pikes Peak Ascent race, which is a half-marathon, covering 13.32 miles, but with a vertical ascent of 7,815 feet.  On Sunday, he'll run the full Pikes Peak Marathon - all 26.21 miles, up to the peak and back down.  By the way, Pikes Peak is one of Colorado's 14ers - the peak height is at 14,115 feet above sea level.  I'll be taking care of Boo, their dog, while they're gone.  For more information regarding the Pikes Peak races, please visit: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/  and for specific course information, see: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/course.htm

  In thoroughbred racing news, St. Nicholas Abbey is continuing to recover following surgeries for a broken pastern and colic.  ....   Itsmyluckyday, who ran in the Triple Crown races, is out of action for several months with a cracked pelvis.  ....  The Breeders Cup Races will take place on November 1 and 2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

  As I was growing up, there were two constant rules I was expected to follow.  The first was that I should always be polite and courteous to adults and strangers; the second rule was that it was fine to look at something that wasn't mine, but never to touch whatever had my interest.  So I'm still amazed that the 55-year-old male tourist from Missouri had the nerve to touch a 600 year old statue in Italy.  I was appalled to read and see that the statue's pinky finger had broken off - and then I did a double-take in my thoughts. The space where the finger should have been sitting had a piece of rebar (or a small metal spike) where the finger should be - that meant it had been broken off before, and then repaired, in the past. Museum pieces are in a museum to be seen and not touched - unless it's an inter-active exhibit that invites you to touch items.  I am still surprised that this man had the audacity to touch the old marble statue - and, unless he really struck the statue's hand with energy and force, I'm also surprised that the finger gave way.  Sounds to me like the replacement and repair of the first break wasn't done well.  But, still...  he should have just looked, and not touched.....