Pet Peeves

Being an only child who is relatively high strung, I've been known to have a bit of a temper. I'm one of those people who has sarcastic one sided conversations with other drivers whenever I'm driving (despite the fact that they cannot hear me, nor do they care). So it's no surprise that there are some things about running that really burn my grits. So here, in no particular order are my running Pet Peeves:

1. Sidwalk Hogs

Get it?

Where I grew up in Suburban Ohio, sidewalks were 2-way streets. Though sometimes narrow and uneven, one endeavored to be aware of his/her surroundings and allow others room to go about their business. This is apparently not the case around here.

Nothing bothers me more than when two people who are walking/running together choose to take up the ENTIRE sidewalk and force others onto the road/grass to pass them. I walk as much as I run, so I understanding taking a leisurely stroll with a friend or loved one and wanting to focus on just that. However, that doesn't give you the luxury to take up the whole 'road' and prevent anyone else from sharing it. Case in point: the other day these two (morbidly obese, yes) women were walking at the park and an older man was walking behind them. The two women saw him coming, saw that he was about 150 years old, and yet did not shift aside or give him any room to get by. He was forced into the grass where he tripped on a tree root. True story. Don't be a sidewalk hog.


2. Crazy Dogs and Clueless Owners

This one goes hand in hand with the sidewalk hogs. I despise it when people use their dogs to hog the sidewalk. If you are walking on the right hand side of the sidewalk/road, do not let your dog wander around on the left hand side. Not only are you taking up too much room, but you're a trip hazard!

Similarly, people need to accept the fact that not everyone loves dogs. Now I think I've made it clear I'm kind of obsessed with my puppy. That doesn't mean that I'm oblivious to the fact that she can be absolutely horrible on a leash. While I realize my 14", 16lb beagle isn't going to put anybody in the hospital, I get that some people just don't want her jumping in their faces and love-biting their noses (why not is a mystery to me, but I digress). Lately it seems owners are oblivious to this little fact, letting their dogs run leash-free or on an unlimited amount of retractable leash. Lady, I realize not all pit bulls are blood-crazed killers, but I really don't know anything about your dog and you don't want me to have to punch you. Don't act shocked when I tell you to control your loose Mastiff in a public park, dude.

3. Lack of Race-Day Port-o-Potty Etiquette

Port-o-Potty's at a race event are a hot commodity. I've waited in line for an hour before the start at bigger events, and I was happy to do so. While I don't mind waiting in line for a potty, what really gets me is the clueless person in front of me who doesn't seem to realize said line. Maybe you'll remember my port-o-potty incident at the KDF Marathon this spring (which I wrote about here). No joke, it cost me 5 or so minutes waiting for Mrs. Clueless to realize the potty was open and then get in.

All I ask is this: Be aware of the line! If you see the potty flip to vacant, go! Don't stand around and stare, don't be chatting with a friend - GO! On the same note, once you flip the potty to vacant, don't just stand in there fixing your hair or race belt - GO! I don't expect rocket speed, just awareness and a little quickness, please.

Oh, and heads up if there's no TP. Just a courtesy thing.

4. Awful Running Attire

Probably runs a 5:20 mile

Newsflash - I'm going to judge you if you're running in cutoff jean shorts and Toms shoes. I can't help myself, it's my natural reaction. That being said, I applaud everyone who takes the plunge to get into running and takes positive steps to ensure good health. That doesn't mean I won't judge you though.

Also, I don't care how hard you worked to get that marathon/5k/Ultra shirt - if it's 100 degrees outside and you're wearing a long-sleeved shirt, I'm going to roll my eyes at you (and make sure that you see it). This isn't a "peeve" so to speak, It's more of a "what the F#%@?"


What about you?!
- Did I miss anything? What are some of YOUR pet peeves?
- Am I wrong? Too harsh? Let me have it - change my mind!

Where-O-Where

I've had this post written forever but no pictures to go with it.  Call me lazy, but I just haven't had any motivation to do much of anything, let alone copy and edit all of the ridiculous photos that could accompany this otherwise boring post. So we'll just add some random pictorial interest points in along the way.

Where I've been

It's been almost three weeks since the bar exam! At the end of the day, it was exactly as horrific as everyone had told me it would be. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like my months of study really got me anywhere (and I'm not alone in feeling like that). Oh well - I find out in late September whether I get to do it all again. 

Since then, I've been doing a lot of nothing. It's been glorious. I wake up, drive Josh to work and go to the gym where I immerse myself in Olympics coverage. Then I come home and spend most of my time like this:

Or sometimes this:

There are days that I feel really guilty about Josh going off to his 9-5 and me turning around and going to the gym or back to the house to take the pup to the park. But mostly I'm just trying to enjoy this lull while I've got it.

Where I Am
I started training for the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon last week! After a few weeks of sloth & gluttony it's really nice to have some structure - and just to be running again period. I've decided on ____ key markers to gauge my progress through this training cycle. I'm hoping by focusing on a few key things I can see gains overall at the end and not just in my splits or my overall time (which will be badass, of course). They are:

Speed

Stepping back from running this summer has really upped my speed. During the exam period it was too hot to get any real distance in so short runs were all I could muster. I'm really going to try to focus on speedwork this time around to keep my legs peppy. I'm going for an A time of 2:20 (10:41 min/mi) & a B time of 2:24 (11:00 min/mi) both of which I think are really do-able.

Flexibility

The big gains I made in flexibility over the spring were lost over the summer. I'm just barely able to touch ye-old-toes. How important is flexibility in running? Not too much, truly. But being flexible makes me feel strong, and it really helps me release tension. A flexible back and shoulders is important in keeping me calm and relaxed, so I definitely have some work to do here.

Weight Management

I am a champion stress eater. I could stress eat this guy outta this world. That being said, the exam was definitely a set back for this particular fitness point. But I'm back on the healthy body bandwagon and making strides!

Endurance

Despite the recent need for speed, my lungs and legs have kept some of their stamina up. I can get in five miles (about an hour of activity) without feeling 'tired'. I'm interested to see how my first 5+ miler goes!

Recovery

Active recovery is the name of the game this time around. I've been using my HR monitor to keep me on track, making recovery runs actually restful. Nothing really to report on this point right now because I haven't done much that would require recovery :)

Where I'm Going
79 Days until my next half marathon! I'm so excited I could burst. It feels like the Derby Fest was so long ago and I"m eager to get out and race again.

Just before the bar I got hired on to my dream job as a public defender here in town. I can't tell you what a blessing this was, as it was the only job in the world I wanted (besides professional pool lounger, of course). I start on the 27th and I'm eager to figure out how to work running into my new 60 hour work week :)

Perhaps the biggest destination on the horizon....Marriage-ville! We're only 18 short days away from the nuptials and I couldn't be more ready to go. We're also 18 short days away from the start of UofL Football season. If I told you how many people have complained that the two days are the same, you wouldn't believe it.

Happy Running!


Where have you been? I'm trying to catch up!