Thoughts from Sunday’s LSD run

It is not my fault that I don’t recognize women that I know from somewhere else when I pass them running.  This has happened several times lately.  It is the fault of women runners who look at me like I’m some kind of pervert when I smile or make even brief eye contact.  I understand the world is full of weirdos & you have to be careful but hey, come on, I’m an old, slow, funny looking guy who can barely muster a feeble wave & a nod, lighten up.  I’ve gotten so that I just look at the ground when I pass a female runner.

after reading this article
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-08-16/Mississippi-clumsiest-iphone/57091820/1
earlier in the week, I thought of a great new app for the iphone!  It’s the Target App!  It would be marketed to the moron gun nut demographic & would consist of. . .  wait for it! . . . a target!  Ta Da!  Of course they’d only get to use it once & then there’d be that “Oh dang” moment that we hope will be captured for youtube.

I really like Greek food.

Even though it is in fact still August, there has been just a hint, a very small hint, of Fall in the air for the last couple of days.  My sunrise runs this weekend were very nice & I’m looking forward to this week’s runs.  I know there’s still a good bit of hot weather ahead & that we are not out hurricane season by a long shot but I’m excited at the idea of long cool runs getting ready for the October half marathon in New Orleans.  I love Fall.

My sweat smells funny after I eat Greek food, that’s what made me think of that.  But I do, I really like Greek food.

peace.

Yesterday afternoon, at about mile 4 of a 5 mile run, as the seawall rippled in the heat, a young lady, possibly a vision, ran toward me.  Lovely as she was, all pink shorts & blond hair, what I noticed most was the bounce in her step.  It’s August, I don’t have a bounce in my step.  I haven’t had a bounce in my step for months.  The most generous observer would not compare me to a giselle.  They might compare me to a mortally wounded rhinoceros.  It is a generous observer that calls what I’m doing running.  A less charitable one might call it lumbering.  I lurch forward, a sweaty dripping mess, hoping I don’t die & that if I do die that I won't poop myself.  I read that once, that when people die they poop themselves.  It’s bothered me ever since.  I have a beautiful son & a lovely wife, I would hate to leave them, would hate to cause them pain, I love my life, but what I worry about as I stumble down the seawall is leaving a corpse w/ a load in its pants.  Now I can also worry that I am a shallow person.  Thankfully, I don’t die & I don’t poop myself.  My wounds were not mortal after all.  The giselle bounded off into the sunset, the rino made it to his truck.  August will end, Fall will come, & maybe, if I keep running, I will get to enjoy this life a little longer.

On Saturday I got to try stand up paddle boarding, something I’ve been interested in after seeing people using them in Pensacola.  I rented a Hobie board from Da Beach House, a local paddle board & kayak business, & got some basic instruction from Tod, the business owner.  After a bit of wobble, I started to get the feel for it & took off down the coast.  It was cloudy & drizzling when I started & the water was pretty flat.  There had been a storm the night before so there was a good bit of debris from the islands & quite a few jellyfish.  The first hour or so stayed grey & flat & calm, at one point I just stopped & sat on the board for awhile, watching the pelicans.  I guess because the weather was kind of crappy I was the only one on the water.  When the sun came out, there were more boaters & a little chop.  I really enjoyed myself & plan on doing more.  I want to rent a couple more times here & also try to get in some time in Pensacola where there will be some surf.  I think I need some more instruction as well.  It definitely gives one a full body workout & seems like a great cross training exercise.

Regular beach run yesterday evening & did my sunrise neighborhood run this morning.  Just as I was to start the beach run, my ipod gave out which I guess is better than having it go out later & then just having something useless to carry.  I thought I’d charged it, it may be time for a new one.  My shins seemed to do a little better, I didn’t have to stop at least.  About a mile in I heard a big splash & turned to see what I think was an eagle taking a fish just off shore.  He was a good deal larger than an osprey which we don't tend to have here anyway & our eagle population has grown after Katrina, I think  because all the dead trees made for good nesting sites.  It was pretty cool to see.

First day of school today!  My best buddy’s starting second grade.  Went to meet the teacher yesterday, turns out she’s a runner so she’s bound to be OK!

issues edition.

continuing computer issues at the home site are making my posting difficult.  We are in contemplation mode at present concerning the purchase of a new one, (I’m lobbying heavily for the new Mac)  & I may be taking ours to the Dr.  

ran Tuesday evening my usual 5 beach miles but missed Wednesday morning’s sunrise run as I was up much of the night before w/ a sick youngun.  Nothing serious & he’s feeling fine now.  Yesterday evening’s run then, was the first run of August.  Ah August, my old nemesis.  If I keep to my current schedule, there will be 8 more evening runs in August.  The evening runs make the early runs seem oh so much more bearable but there’s not much else good to say about them.  

equipment issues.  Tried the yurbuds again yesterday & maybe my sweaty slippery ears are not the norm, but they just don’t seem to work for me.  Several times during the run I had to stop, find, & reposition the bud as one side or the other had fallen out.  I think I’ll be leaving them at home.

physical issues.  I continue to have shin pain for the first 1.5-2 miles, so much so that I’ve had to stop & stretch & even rub my shins.  Oddly, rubbing the shin seems to offer the most relief.  I’ve iced, rubbed, ibuprofened, stretched, . . . I don't know what else to do.  Thinking of getting one of those stick rollers, if one among my legion of readers has ideas feel free to reply!  After that 1st mile & a half, I’m good.  No pain, no problem.  

lot of bitchin & moaning I know, what can I say?  I have issues.

peace.