One of my favorite things about boxing is the euphemisms and idioms. You do not practice boxing with someone else you spar. You never ask someone if they want to spar with you. You say, "Want to 'move around?'" There is no punching bag but there are heavy bags and speed bags. You do not run. You do "road work."
Today, I got my last bit of road work in. I went for the same twelve-mile run I have run each weekend (with one exception) for the last ten weeks. The first time I did this run it took me over 2.5 hours. I shaved a whole hour off that time, running a 7.5-minute mile pace. A good question is why, if a round is only three minutes, and there are only three of them, would I run for such a long time? If I reach the final, I could be boxing for four days straight. From the beginning, my plan has been not just to compete, but to win, as it should be for any boxer. So with that in mind, I take a long run once a week, through the streets of Downtown and Chinatown and the hills of Elysian Park next to Dodger Stadium and overlooking the Police Academy and Chavez Ravine. When I get up as early as five on a Saturday or Sunday, I think to myself:
"Let my opponent sleep."
"Let my opponent sleep."
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