A Short Story: The Two-Headed Surprise on the Venice Run A Sunday morning run, with Buena Vista Social Club providing the soundtrack. The morning of the LA Marathon had a way of making everyone feel like a runner. The sunshine was inviting, the ocean breeze refreshing, and the streets seemed to belong to people who had decided that sitting still was not an option. I was motivated. I started my run at the Santa Monica Pier, heading south toward Venice Beach. Rather than join the marathon crowds heading west toward the busy streets around the Farmers Market and the La Brea Tar Pits, I chose the ocean route. It was familiar territory, with plenty of room to find my own pace. As I passed Muscle Beach, the usual Venice spectacle was unfolding. Surfers were riding the waves, competing with the ocean rather than with one another, while Sunday walkers crowded the path. Everyone seemed to have a destination, although nobody appeared to be in much of a hurry. My own destination was somewhe...