This is going to be a run ride, err run.
I'm Sarah, I run, I race in 5ks to compete against myself and keep myself healthy along the way. I have fun while I do it. If it is no longer fun I'm doing something wrong.
I'm a young spitfire and I tend to have the most random of thoughts and some interesting experiences while out and about.
During the summer months I run before work in the early mornings to beat the inevitable heat that plagues the Midwest during the summer and early Fall months. Come winter time I will resort to lunch time runs while at work so that I have daylight as well as some sort of temperature on my side so as not to freeze me completely (though I would much rather run in the cold than in the heat - it is frowned upon to run naked down the street despite the fact that you are melting into a puddle as you do so. Welcome to KS and MO in the Summer.)
So I have recently moved from Kansas (my beloved home state) to Missouri. Just a jump across the river quite honestly so not a huge change.
Though I'm finding differences and having to explore a new city to get my bearings as well as figure out where the best and shadiest running routes are and if these will be clear in the Winter when we EVENTUALLY get snow. Here in the Midwest folks don't know how to plow or shovel. So sidewalks stay snow and ice covered for days if not weeks depending on temps when we get snow. Then I went up to NY for 5 days and discovered that they do not believe in sidewalks since they don't want to HAVE to shovel them. Ok, fair enough, but I do appreciate actually having sidewalks.
Subtle differences you don't notice until you go somewhere else.
So in the past month I have lived at my new place I have discovered the perfect 5 mile loop and easy ways to get 1 mile to 3 miles in on weekdays before work. I have also discovered which directions to go and which to avoid. Also I have come to find out that a lot of people in this city aren't nearly as friendly as my old city back in KS.
It's proper etiquette to wave or at least try to smirk at someone as you pass them while running. The people here have not been quite so gracious. I have been coming in contact with more friendly folks on Saturday morning runs that are a bit later in the morning (9 am ish) versus my weekday 6 am runs.
Though one particular morning last week, I had quite the week last week with running, I had a man who obviously was thinking he could educate me.
I was running my normal route out of the neighborhood. I saw a man getting into his truck and sitting. I knew I had time to get across the drive before he started to pull out (mind you he is backed into the drive so he is more than capable of seeing me should he actually lift his head). So as I'm getting ready to finish passing this driveway he starts up and begins to move forward which is promptly followed by a screeching halt. Mind you, I had already crossed the driveway at this point. I obviously had scared him by just my presence and his lack of awareness to his surroundings. (This happens often with me as I tend to scare people that don't hear/see/pay attention to me.)
So I kept running, I'm not going to stop my run because you aren't paying attention. Then I notice this truck is now slowly following me. At this point the truck is next to me and the window is rolling down. Yes I do run with pepper spray and yes I was thinking "I dare you to get out of the truck because this will end worse for you than me."
He started saying something to me, which I couldn't hear over the rumble of his 2000 Chevy. I had a feeling it had something to do with "pay more attention to where you're going." Which I of course was wanting to yell back "You should pay more attention to your surroundings, regardless of the time of day." But as I know better than to provoke a groggy, probably ill-caffeinated, stranger I kept my mouth shut, hardly looked at him and kept running and clutching my pepper spray in the "open" position just in case.
He eventually took off as I passed a man walking his rat dog and then hit my turn around point. Of course as I come back around I meet the man and his dog again. I'm facing them. He has the little rat on a retractable leash so he should have full control of this tiny dog in more than just one way. I hop over into the street by the curb to let them have the sidewalk and he lets this dog get almost right up to my ankles before he clicks the leash into lock.
Really? I will kick your dog if it bites me, I will also pepper spray it.
Common courtesy in this town - I am thinking (so far) that it lacks this quality.
Last week was a week of crazy, Monday was the man in the truck and the rat. Then Tuesday my alarm didn't go off so i missed my morning run and had to run at my lunch break in the humidity. Ick! Wednesday it rained cats and dogs and I made the stupid choice to go run in it during a light show...yeah lucky to be alive I'm sure of it. Thursday, my alarm again didn't go off, so when my 7 am (LEAVE THE HOUSE) alarm went off I thought it was only 6 am. Well then I get a call from Mike, who was just leaving work. He didn't hear the car noises in the background and asked "Why aren't you gone?" I then realized it was 7 not 6. UGH! Wasn't late for work but still had to run at lunch. Friday, was just a horrid day to be at work and I did get my run in but was just not a good day at all.
This week I have met a spider, whom I have named George, on my front porch in the upper corner. He and I have an agreement that he stays out and keeps the web at a certain place (not interfering with my morning runs or the evening ins and outs that we do occasionally). He and I greet each other in the mornings and I will see the fruits of his web, usually a small moth. As much as I think spiders are gross this one is at least doing me a favor. Just has to obey the rules or he gets knocked down.
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| George |
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| George trying to hide from the camera |
So lessons of the week:
1. Check alarms before bed to ensure timely rising.
2. Check alarm clock before assuming it's actually a certain time.
3. Never trust people in their cars at 6 am, stop and wait regardless.
4. Critters can be a fun little addition to runs, mine just happens to be a spider at my door.
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