20 miler

Got up really early this morning (6am early) and road BART (train) out to Alameda to run a 20 miler with Zoe.  Alameda is on the other side of the bay - about 25mins by BART.....saved me battling the traffic coming home.  Run was grand, looping around "the Island".  If you look on the map you can see Alameda next to Oakland on the right side of San Francisco Bay (that's the East Bay I refer to).....looking left (West) from there the 101 marker furthest North is around about where I live.  BART actually goes under the Bay; too weird to think about when you are riding it I have to say.
The map isn't that clear but Alameda is actually an Island and there is an old Navy Base where Zoe used to serve.  For those who've visited SF you might know that the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier is moored here and is now a Museum.  When Zoe retired from the Navy they had her retirement ceremony on the Hornet.....these were the things I heard about as we ran around the Island, battling Wellington winds for the first three miles but still enjoying beautiful coastal views and a fine vista of the city.  It was a flat run and grand to get another 20 miler under my belt.  Although it's fair to say that for both Zoe and I an arthritic 90 year old could easily have walked past us as we completed the 20 and walked/hobbled the last half mile to Zoe's house.  20 miles is a long way and the legs really feel it (mine ache for about 20mins afterwards and feel fatigued for the rest of the day).  Still, a grand way to start the day and great company.
Just as an FYI if you go South from the 101 marker, down to Palo Alto about 14 miles South/South East from there is where I work (an 87 mile / 140 km round trip), mostly on the Freeway.  Distance here takes on a whole new meaning; this is like driving the equivalent of Wellington/Greytownish daily but on a Freeway, so not quite as stressful.....believe it or not!