checking my statistics, someone in Italy found me when he (she?) "googled" barefoot + bimbo.

 

I laughed my ass off.

It rained.

 

Went to see Night at the Museum.

 

Only restaurant open for business was Hooters. And the Chinese take out place.

 

My son was home.

 

My husband was deployed. Again.

 

New dog food not agreeing with Patches.

 

Two weeks left to my marathon.

 

 

 

more again later.....

 

 

 

 

I went running with a couple I met when I used to run with a group. I ran reluctantly as they are difficult to talk to. Sam and Mary are not conversationalists, and I say that to be kind. The truth is they are boring. Boring. I TRIED to wrench conversation out of them, but it was fruitless. Oh, and they ran very very slow. Too slow, actually. I've been steady training at about a 12 1/2 minute pace and less, but Saturday we did 14 minute miles. But that wasn't the worst of it. No, the worst of it was their stink. I hadn't noticed it on him before, but Mary has been stinky before. When we started it wasn't bad. We hadn't worked up a sweat yet. We were running a track that had a 6 1/2 mile loop, and on mile 3  I had peeled off my sweatshirt. It wouldn't stay tied around my waist and I kept fussing with it. Sam commented that it looked like I couldn't wait to get to the first water point so I could lay down my sweatshirt, and I said yeah, and I added that I had wanted to wear a thermal long sleeve shirt but I didn't want to pull it out of the dirty laundry, "cause that's gross" . To which they both admitted to doing that very thing that very morning (even after I had just said I thought that was gross). Well we get to the water point, and she pulls off her long-sleeved shirt, and I got the first wind and I thought OH MY GOD, I have 13 miles to go with this one stinking like this? We take off on our second lap and I try to stay just ahead of her so as not to suffer her stink. It was stomach churning, her stink. Well, at mile 13 he peels off his sweaty shirt, and his stench then assaulted my nostrils. It totally bummed me out. There was no getting away from it. I was surrounded. And the thought of rounding off another 6 miles with them seemed so daunting to me. Really, it was very uncomfortable for me. Now, I was in the Army and I know people get funky when they run. But in the Army it was never more than 4 miles I would have to run in a group. 20 miles with these two was just not happening for me. I was getting grossed out. I started cramping in my leg, I thought it was from the slower pace, and I decided to just walk for a while and the couple went ahead of me. With the wretching smell gone, I regrouped my thoughts and ran the rest of my distance in quiet solitude. I also did my own "pit check", and while I was not daisy fresh (I just ran 17 something miles!), I certainly was not offensive. Hell, I got home and asked my son if he thought I was funky and he laughed at me. He stopped laughing and said I never stink after a run, what was I worried about. I proceeded to the shower, and washed until the hot water ran out (just in case my son was being charitable in his earlier assesment).

 

So let me ask....would buying different brands of deoderant and making a secret santa gift box for them be too obvious? I could leave it on their doorstep, ring the doorbell, and run and hide in the bushes.

 

I can tell my friends if their product is failing. I tell them because they would rather hear it from me than be be shunned, and typically, my friends have been appreciative. Not that this has happened often, just saying that a friend has usually responded well when I inform them. I certainly would want someone to inform me if my Sure isn't so sure.

 

 

more again later.....

 

 

17 miles, 3:53 (depressing 13:45 minute mile pace)

STILL 142 lbs

Just about everywhere you look, you can find a Jingle Bell Jog in a city near you. People don elf hats, or reindeer antlers, bells are mandatory for some. Yesterday, I ran on Fort Bragg in the annual 10K race. The huge majority of runners were military men, and the majority of those who participated in the 5K event were women pushing strollers.  I ran the 10K. I was sorta impressed the number of runners, given that it was a race scheduled on a Friday. **shrug** I don't know why they'd plan a run on a Friday, but there I was nonetheless. It was sorta chaotic, more people showed up than they planned for (cause really, who runs a race on a Friday?????). And the 9:30 start time was pushed back to 10:00, amid much groaning moaning and mumbling. Then they announced runners of the 10K would start at 9:45, and walkers of the 5K would start 10 minutes later. At about 9:30 people started milling around the starting line, runners and walkers alike. Here's a question: why would you go to the front of the pack if you're pushing a stroller built for 2? Are you trying to say you will be a front runner the entire distance? Cause I'm here to cry bullshit. Not to say that stroller pusher aren't fast runners, but they are not faster than the vast majority of runners NOT similarly hindered with a stroller. There were 4 or five runners who crossed the finish line WAY before me, and they were pushing strollers (they were also hiding a jet pack in their fanny "Bat-packs" I suspect. Can't prove it, but I feel better about my time if I silently accuse those Amazons of nefarious methods). But seriously, I saw runners nearly falling over, and almost into, strollers as the pack was let loose and the race began. Some of the stroller pushers were miffed, and complained. Here's my thought: if you are so concerned about your stroller, more importantly concerned about your baby, MOVE TO THE BACK OF THE PACK. Seriously, people, catch a clue. But enough about that. Someone might think I have it out for moms with tots, and I don't. I admire greatly anyone who gets out there and pushes a stroller along. I know I'd have a tough time of it. Running is hard enough, now add in a stroller? Wow, is all I can say.

 

I just wanted to run the 10K. I was in the back of the pack, which is why I got to witness the stroller madness. I knew 98% of the runners were gonna pass me, why not just start in the back. I was hugely impressed by the size of the field, given it was a Friday race and lots of runners were hard at work at their jobs somewhere. There had to have been like 300 or so people (I totally suck at estimating crowd sizes. More than 12 people and already it's a crowd too big for me). The race began and I watched the ocean of people ahead of take off, runners jockeying for position, people elbowing thru other people, hardcore competitive runners forging thru the larger field of non-placing runners. I think I would just rather start at the back of the pack for all my races, to avoid some rude-ass runner maybe pushing past me in a quest to medal. I will finish a race, but I can't think of a single event where I could medal in my age-group. Unless there's a category for 45-year old sarcastic red-heads. Typically, then, I'd be the winner. woo hoo! Anyway, fairly quickly the mass of the pack disappeared from view, and all that remained around me were runners who just wanted to run the distance. I was running along and a woman caught up to me and we started talking and next thing we know we're at the 5 mile mark and it's all downhill to the finish line. I decided to kick it up a notch for the last mile. I crossed the finish line running full tilt boogey, and my time was 1:09:30. I was quite pleased. Quite pleased.

 

I stuck around to listen to the times of the winners in my age group. The lady who took first place in my age group had a time of 47 minutes. The lady who took 2nd place had a time of 56 minutes. The lady who took third had a time of 1:03. I ALMOST could have medaled. I took that as a huge positive. The lady who took first place in the next older category ran it in 59 minutes, and I decided right then that after I run my marathon, I'm gonna try to get my 10K time down to something under an hour. I have to shave 10 minutes off. I know I can do it. Right after I run my marathon.

 

Ok, all this talk about running made me hungry. Time to hop in the truck and go get some grub. Pecan waffle from Wafflehouse, it's calling my name!!!!!

 

 

more again later........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10K (6.2 miles), 1:09:30

142 lbs