Running for two

As I was out on my Sunday morning run, I encountered a lot of couples running. And it struck me that the female parts of the couple were chattering up a storm, while the male runners were looking kind of dazed. And I wonder: is this typical?

Does running as a couple mirror your relationship? I certainly am the chatterbox in my marriage, and I know that dazed look very well. I've always felt it would be great to go out running with my husband, but now I'm not so sure. We have this undercurrent of competition going on, and I fear running might bring it to the surface. And not in a good way!

Already my husband, who doesn't run, is bragging he ran all the way to the train station in only fifteen minutes, knowing full well that, after ten years that's what it takes me too! And to rub it in, he adds: 'In my Birkenstocks, you know!'
'Yes dear,' I say, gritting my teeth, 'I know'.

So I think I'll stick to running by myself!
That way I can chat to me, and I'm a great listener!

Running for two

Music I love to run to, and live life by

I simply love this song. When I'm out there running, it always makes me feel better.
And when life sucks, I think of this song, and it helps me feel strong and positive.



Lyrics

When you're feeling lonely, lost and let down
Seems like those dark skies are following you around
And life's just one big shade of gray
You wonder if you'll see the light of day

{chorus}
Behind the clouds, the sun is shining
Believe me even though you can't quite make it out
You may not see the silver lining
But there's a big blue sky waiting just behind the clouds

I've heard it said that this too shall pass
Good times or bad times, neither one lasts
But thinking that your luck won't ever change
Is like thinking it won't ever stop once it starts to rain

{chorus}
Behind the clouds, the sun is shining
Believe me even though you can't quite make it out
You may not see the silver lining
But there's a big blue sky waiting just behind the clouds
Yeah, there's a big blue sky waiting just behind the clouds

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Music I love to run to, and live life by

My body is begging for it!

Lately my body has been begging me to go out for a run. Dumbfounded I feel this urge to run and this inexplicable desire to change into my running clothes.

At first I didn't recognize the feeling. I'm used to my body whining and complaining, and moaning: 'I wanna lie down!'
'I'm feeling really antsy today,' I told my husband. 'Probably had to much coffee,' I decided.
Somewhere in the past nine years something has changed. Is it possible my body has become used to regular runs, and is now actually asking for it?

Suddenly I don't need to threaten myself anymore with scary diseases, or bribe myself with promises of candy bars, I happily run out the door.
'Do what comes naturally,' I mumble to myself as I surrender to the desire to move. And I ask my body: 'Are you happy now?'
By way of answer my body skips merrily, and I feel the antsy feeling disappearing with every step.

Of all surprises running has brought me, this must be the biggest.
I've actually grown to love it.

My body is begging for it!

This has never happened to me before!

Every Saturday our youngest son Piet has to go to his swimming lesson, and last Saturday I accompagnied my husband and him there, so I could run my way back. It's about five kilometers, so a nice little distance, and I like the variety.

As I ran home I spotted some female runners in the distance, and I don't know what happened, but instead of disappearing on the horizon, they came closer and closer, until I actually passed them. This has never happened to me before. Usually I'm the one that gets passed by. It made me feel kind of nervous, because now that I had passed thém I worried that they might pass me.

So I speeded up a little and never got home so fast. Which just goes to show, hares don't always have to run in front of you. They can help you go faster, when they're behind you too.

This has never happened to me before!

Yuck!

As a runner, dogs and their owners are the bane of my life. Especially dog owners who have their dogs on one of those extendable leashes, which they only use to extend. Nót to pull their sex crazed dog back when it's starts humping my poor innocent legs.

But apparently things can get worse, because today a dog tried to get a whiff of my crotch, and its male owner said: 'Don't do that boy! It's probably real nice, but it's not allowed.'

I was stunned by such ungentlemanly behavior.

With such an owner, you almost can't blame the dog.
Almost.

I blame both.

Yuck!

Skyving of running

I've only managed to run once this week. It's a disgrace! But on Monday I caught the kids' virus, and puked my guts out. So on Tuesday I was feeling kind of wobbly, and on Wednesday I got my period and my pelvic floor felt like a hammock with too heavy a load in it.

Then came Thursday, and I managed to squeeze my run in, through snow and slippery roads. On Friday I took a day off, and I planned to run this Saturday, but then the Weather Forecast was all: 'Don't go outside, you might get hypothermia,' so I got scared.

Oh well, every day is the first day of the rest of my life, so tomorrow I'll just start again.

That's the great thing about running: it's always there for you, even though you weren't.

Skyving of running

Runner's paranoia

On the first day of 2010 I decided to run to my parents' house. I figured it would make a nice run of about five miles.

It's a nice route which I don't run very often, because there's this terrible lack of restaurants or places where I can get coffee. But now I knew my parents were home, so I'ld be able to get my coffee fix there!

I enjoyed the freshness of the path not taken often, and ran merrily along the road I used to ride to school on my bike, so many times as a child. The road to my parents leads through a small wooded area, and as I was halfway through, a little van passed me.

I didn't really pay any attention to it, but then suddenly it came back!
'Hm, that's a bit strange,' I thought, but it became even stranger when it slowed down to a standstill.
Silently I said my goodbyes to my dear husband, kids, family, friends and old acquaintances I had forgotten.
'This is it then,' I thought. 'This is the end of the line for me. I'm being kidnapped!'

A very welldressed, elderly gentleman leaned over the passenger seat and said something. From a safe distance I eyed him, still worrying he might leap out of the car, and pull me inside.
'I do apologize for disturbing your run,' he declared in apologetic tones, 'but could you tell me where I can find a little church around here?'
'Sure, you turn back, and then it's right on the left!' I answered relieved.
He thanked me and we both went on our ways.

Soon he passed me again, after having turned his car, and waved solemnly at me. I gave him a friendly nod, but I was still glad when he and his little van disappeared into the sunset. After all, Ted Bundy looked real friendly and neat too.

As I passed the little church I had directed him to, I saw his van standing there, and him at the church door.

In hindsight, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was a reverend.

How careful should you be as a female runner?
Do you run through wooded areas, or across lonesome paths?

Runner's paranoia