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The Weird And Wonderful Things About Runners

So I haven’t written any posts on the wonderful act of running lately. Not that it hasn’t been on my mind OR something I’ve been slowly crawling back into.

I have been back on the road. I’ve been juggling cycling and short runs. In fact, I’ll be doing it very soon this morning.

Last week, I did my first double digit miles in…well… I can’t honestly tell you.

10 miles. I felt glorious in that tired, exhilarating way that a long run can make me feel. Especially when I’ve not been able to for so long.

I wondered taking off… can I still DO this ?!

Over the past year or so I’ve been walking a fine line with an Achilles issue of doing enough but not doing to much to send me horribly backwards. I’m not fully fixed yet but I’ve come to a careful balance of “if I don’t feel any worse, it’s a win” .

Actually, I’ve been using a method that is recommended by many running experts which is a run/walk method. It’s great for a newbie to start getting acclimated to running and protecting from over injuries of doing to much to soon.

The same theory works for a wounded runner easing back into it. The idea being not to over do and let your body adjust to the rigors of being on the road again.

If you’ve never done it, it works something like this. You might start off with a strong, brisk walk and do that for awhile, then start adding in maybe, 10-15 second running intervals, then drop to brisk walking again. You just continue to alternate this through your miles. Of course, the plan is a gradual increase in running time.

Mentally, I have to really keep myself in check from not letting myself run to fast or to long. It’s hard when I know what I’ve done and what I’m capable of doing and keep it reined in to my current needs.

All that to say…as a distance runner… it’s hard to not long for that time on the road. It becomes a craving.

distance running

Last week I had gone on a 9 mile jaunt and wondered why I had not just gone the full 10 ( again, baby steps) I know mileage increase needs to occur in small increments to not have set backs or to make injury worse.

Actually I finished with my Garmin saying 9.10… which left me with that thought.. why not have just finished it out to 10?

It’s how runners think.. what’s another mile?

Runners are a weird, wonderful lot.

I never thought that till I became one. It’s funny how you start thinking about things. How you look at things.

Things that start to feel normal to you, but if you speak it out loud to non-runners, they give you that raised eyebrow look or simply tell you that you’re crazy.

Right there is one of those very thoughts…

When you tell a runner they are “crazy” it’s like, one of the coolest compliments you can give us. It means.. you are insane and I’d never even think of doing such a thing but I really admire you for your craziness.

crazy

Mileage. If we are coming down the home stretch to where we will finish our run and realize our Garmin is telling us we have only a quarter mile or less to roll to the next mile, you can bet we are gonna make that next mile roll over.

One does not simply stop running that close to hitting the next mile 😉

We spend more on our running shoes than anything else we put on our feet.

It’s the truth. Not only do we spend more, we will wear those suckers out faster than any other shoes we put on our feet. And we go right back and repeat the process. If we have a brand and model we love we look forward to and anticipate when they newest model will come out.

Next to shoes, it’s clothes. They can be bright, colorful and sometimes very noticeable. We often wear minimal clothes. Running, that’s hard work and gets your inner heater going. The clothes can be as pricey as the shoes.

running clothes

We view injuries as a total inconvenience to our running schedule, training and future plans instead of worrying about how we may have beat ourselves up.

We view hills as something to overcome and rule over. If we’re worth our salt, they become a part of our training ground.

hill

I caught myself in this one the other day talking to my husband about my recent 10 miles out…

” My run was only 10 miles”

It’s like… as a runner your thinking shifts and you see some things as perfectly normal and no big deal…

Then it hit me.. 10. Miles.

That is a flipping long way.

True, I’ve gone further. The half, full and ultra marathon were definitely lots longer distances.

10 miles during training for those events was nothing.

But when you casually talk about a cool 10 miles before breakfast…. you realize…you’re weird and that normal people aren’t out doing that.

Your foam roller becomes a new best friend. Or in my case, I now roll out on a pvc pipe. It’s a wonderful “hurts so good” feeling sometime. But oh so necessary to keep muscles loose and pliable.

Some nights my evenings are so exciting watching a favorite tv show and rolling.

Runners willingly pay money to run long distances, in all kinds of weather (cause when you’ve already paid, you run.) We usually get a t shirt, a cool medal to add to our collection and a banana at the end. We push ourselves and if we’re lucky we set a new PR and walk away with the bragging rights for having done it.

banana

Speaking of weather. Yeah, we run in pretty much whatever. Yeah, we hear you use the adjective “crazy” on us again.

We can’t explain it to you… really… we can’t.

But there is something about running when the weather is less than perfect and you’re out in the elements working against them that makes you feel like… a beast.

rain

It’s exhilarating. Trust us. It is.

And miles… It’s how our brains now work. Every where we go we measure things in distance of miles. We think about it in terms of speed and arriving to our destination. We know miles to and from our house, around the block, or our favorite running place. Actually, we could probably tell you to the tenth of a mile the distance.

It’s sick. I know. I’m pretty sure our brains go through a rewiring process or something.

Math. I’ve never been into math. I think it’s boring. I never got the complex stuff in school. I love words more. Yet, here I am in sports that have me thinking of times and splits and mentally measuring pace and distance to finish when I want to finish. It’s constant, ongoing, mental math.

Oh the irony.

People. Wonderful, supportive people. The running community is made up of the friendliest, most supportive people I’ve encountered.

Fast, slow or in between we cheer each other on, celebrating each others successes and personal bests. Encouraging when we get derailed and set back. Offering help and advice on training, recovery etc.

Weird and wonderful.

But hey… don’t just take my word for these things. There’s always room for one more runner. Come join us 🙂

The Joys Of Raising Boys

Parenting-Boy-Both-Fun-Challenging — For the record… these aren’t mine 😉

I perched on the metal bleacher shielding my eyes from the sun, my gaze fixed out on the field. I listened to the random chatter of parents and children around me. It was a typical spring night and I was watching an…exciting…. or should I say… amusing… game of T-Ball.

However, it was the tall. good looking, lean man I watched prowling the field actively talking to the small creatures at his knees.

It wasn’t my son I was watching play ball, but my grandson, and my son was the Coach.

I got lost in thought wondering where time had gone and wasn’t it only yesterday I was the mom at the games with Goldfish crackers and juice boxes, with my other children running around with me ?

Actually, I was quite comfy being there in my “grandmother” role. It was nice to not have to juggle children, sloppy juice boxes or deal with crying babies. It is true what they say about being a grandparent… it is fun in a very different way 😉

However, before I got to be a grandmother, I had to do my duties as a mom.

I was blessed, privileged and I guess special, to be able to have not one boy, but three.

Yes. Three.

By the time the third came along, I felt like a total pro with the whole boy thing. I didn’t know if I’d even be able to raise a girl ( side note, we did get some later from foster care, but that is for another post)

Anyway, son number one was a quiet, easy going, laid back kid. He just rolled with everything. He knew how to play and was easy to entertain. He was creative and smart. He wasn’t complicated or difficult. He was my little buddy for 3 1/2 years before son number 2 came along.

Culture shock.

Why aren’t parents told this secret.. this dark truth…. ???

Perhaps if they knew families would only have one child.

What is it you may be wondering ?

Well when you’re inexperienced you have this weird, but unspoken idea, the next child you create will be, well, like the first.

It somehow, never crosses your mind that the next one will be different.

Vastly. Different. Earth shakingly different.

When my second son didn’t waste any time getting into this world, I joked that he arrived with an attitude that was like…

“WHERE’S THE PARTY??!”

High octane, high energy, always with a thought or opinion, head strong, stubborn, driven to be successful, not settling for something when he knows he can do better. Social and out going, he doesn’t meet a stranger. The two of us went through the fire and back many times as he grew up. I think because we are wired so much alike has something to do with it. He is my male counterpart. There were tears and angst and some sleepless nights as we grew up. (he is the one who is the Coach)

He was as different from my first as oil is from water.

He was the shopping cart in the store you had to always keep a firm hand on or it would go wildly careening off to the left into a display of Twinkies.

My parenting game just got challenged.

When we decided to plan our third and last child it was with the idea it was the last one regardless of what we were given. Since I was old school and like surprises, we never knew what we were having till they were born.

When our third entered the world, I realized I was now mom of three boys. He was the exact image of his dad, my smallest baby, and adored by all of us. As the third in line, I guess he just adapted to life and learned to just roll along with whatever was going on. He was quiet, but engaging. He loved books ( I read to all of my boys) I’d often find him in his room, with his fav books, “reading” which was more like telling the story he remembered from the pictures. He too, was fairly easy going but I’m not sure if child three just learns to be like that to keep up with everyone else.

Raising boys, in some ways, is a fairly easy task.

At a point, they refuse to let you put them in cute little clothes and opt for just jeans and t shirts. They typically don’t turn their nose up at what you might bring home, and they don’t have any sense of a fashion style.

They are simply, dressed.

Well, they are dressed most of the time. Hopefully, when they are outside they have clothes on, although at times, that was sketchy

There were those times… thank goodness we live in the country and didn’t have neighbors to really worry about 😛

As we moved through the early years of childhood, which seem now, to have been very, very simple times, we approached the teenage years.. it wasn’t all bad… but there were times that were definitely a bit on the heart stopping edge.

I think what I loved about the teen years is the friends they brought home. Some came and went, others, I would often tease and ask if we were adopting them and were their papers in the mail yet ? Some literally moved in for periods of time.

They all knew how to eat 😉

My cookies never seemed to last long and dinner would need to be doubled up on.

They came in all types of dress and attire. When my oldest joined a band, I had more black leather, metal, chains, make up and boots in my house than a Hot Topic store.

My son taught me through that experience to never judge a book by it’s cover. Under those make up, leather and chain clad young men, were fun, entertaining and sweet souls. Maybe that’s why today I’m attracted to, and enjoy people who are obviously different and push the envelope from the norm.

Raising boys not only meant plenty of food and treats, but experimenting in different sports along the way.

All three toyed in them. Only one I believe had a deep passion for it. My oldest ( in the band) leaned more into arts and didn’t just play music but was also a clever and creative artist.

We let them pursue what they found interesting, and hopefully find themselves in it.

We went through seasons of sports, skateboarding, all types of music, all styles of dressing as they matured, band concerts, game days etc…

Yet, in the mix of ball games, school, activities, friends, and daily life my sons grew up.

Sometimes I find myself marveling when they walk in a room… like…

“I made those beautiful creatures!”

As grown men now, I find myself in the same role, but different as well. I’m still mom. Still the one that will call them out on things or offer up my advice.

But I enjoy the friendships with them too. The talks over the table after dinner, the silliness they still deliver up or at times, the random off beat things they can say that make me laugh, the stories that are revealed to me from childhood ( you know…stuff that you don’t want your mom to know at that time? but now that you’re an adult you can share with her? )

Oh…some of that stuff that has been revealed… has chilled my blood… and I’ve had to remind myself that they are sitting there with me, safe.

Or things that they know among themselves but in some way, sought to protect me from.

Having sons means you have all of these “protectors”. Which isn’t a bad thing.. and is often a sweet gesture.

Or when they come in and hug me… I’m tall… but they are a lot taller… there is something precious about those huge man hugs that I get now.

So I sit at times, lost in thought at the T Ball game, reflecting on life and raising boys and pondering how time seems to have moved oh so swiftly through those years. I sit and watch, amused, often giggling at the antics of the kids on the field who are there to just have fun and enjoy life. They aren’t hung up on winning yet or overly competitive, they are mostly there for fun. They run and jump and play. They have to be directed in what to do. My grandson is often happily skipping to the next base.

They all look forward to the treats that will come at the end of the game. They come flying into the dugout area, with their sweaty little faces eagerly looking up at the appointed mom who delivers them for the game. Treats in hand, they go scampering off to eat, run, and play with their friends.

Even with all the up’s and down’s that can come with raising boys, the trials and difficulties, laughter and tears, joys and frustrations, there is a beauty in all of it.

The beauty now of watching my grown son, with his son, and all of these pint sized creatures following him around as he works with them is priceless.

So I sit and I watch. I laugh and smile.

And I think…

I think how blessed I am to have been given such precious gifts in my sons and how fortunate I am to be able to watch my grandson… even if he is skipping and chasing butterflies out on the field as he heads to the next base.

You Can’t Buy Health And Wellness

So I did it yesterday. I hopped on the proverbial “Christmas bus”.

Yes, once on, please be seated, fasten your seat belts and hold on for dear life. The ride will soon be over boys and girls.

No, no, no this isn’t anything anti-Christmas it’s just an awareness that things are going to be picking up for the festive holiday season and by that I mean, I jumped into doing a little Christmas shopping. It seems like once you start it all seems to be, well, if you will, a snowball effect 😉

I was actually a good girl and didn’t even buy anything for myself.

Ok, truth be known, I had two things I was searching out and I had no success… so that doesn’t count, right ?

So while I’m at the mall, I have to walk by these various kiosks that are set up like small little hamster houses along the walk way. Most of the vendors mind their business and let you come shop with them if that’s your desire.

Except one particular one… I know it… I see it each time I’m there…. I look for an escape route like a fox in a chicken coop… but there’s NO WAY around them to get to my favorite stores.

I try the “being busy with my phone and I’m not making eye contact with you” approach. I try the “I’m intently window shopping” angle. I even try the brisk walking and pointedly ignoring them as they call and lure me in with their beauty products they’re hawking.

One caught me and handed me a sample and I thanked him and kept walking… and he kept almost chasing me trying to get me back to his little nook to sell me products. Honestly, I ignored him as he wasn’t taking my “thanks but no thanks” response.

On my way back… there he was… again… and coming after me… till I finally said… “I’m not interested in your product” and kept walking. ( Poor guy, he doesn’t know who he’s come up against) ugh. so. pushy.

The products he sells are skin and face cream and other such stuff.

Dude, I’m a middle aged woman carrying an AARP card. Your creams and stuff aren’t gonna fix me up or change me 😉 Sorry.

Hang with me here….

it got me to thinking about other products people have tried to sell me on recently.. He was pedaling creams and such that were supposed to help you look younger etc. etc.

Yet because of my interest in health and fitness I am constantly asked to try and use products to “help” me since I’m well, into health and fitness. I mean, I must certainly need their product to help me, right?

No… I don’t.

I don’t need your pills, potions, videos, portion cups, shakes, patches, enhancements, supplements, special drinks or anything else. I don’t need to spend money to lose weight, sleep better, lower my blood pressure or improve my lab work. I don’t need “health” products to feel more energetic.

Why ? Because for the last 8 years I’ve worked hard and busted my tail to lose weight, learn to eat more healthy foods than not, exercise, and enjoy side effects of it, getting fit. It’s been a project that has been very satisfying…..satisfying ’cause I’ve done it.

Because I’ve lost the weight, my blood pressure is great, my lab work is (crazy good according to my doctor), my blood sugar level is even and steady, I sleep well, and have tons of energy. I’m stronger, leaner and in better shape than I’ve ever been. It always disturbs me when people brag on a product that supposedly does that when I never used products but had all the same results.

It’s the WEIGHT LOSS boys and girls that triggers all these things in our bodies….weight loss.

It’s really weird how losing weight and moving your body will reap some amazing good health benefits and it didn’t cost me a thing. On top of that, eating healthy foods, less processed foods and sugar has good benefits for your skin too.

Maybe I don’t need the stuff Mr. Kiosk dude is selling after all 😉

You don’t need products either to be strong, fit, healthy and energetic. Be patient, treat yourself kindly, take one day at a time, practice good habits, eat well, and move your body with your favorite activity. You will be so satisfied with what you achieve on your own.

Then go and use that money to buy some smaller clothes….. or buy Christmas gifts….. 😉

Mom 101

Moms. If we all share one thing in common, we don’t get into this world without one. If we’re fortunate we grow up with one that we manage to use and abuse, torture, and love and share life with. Ideally, we learn from them in the ways of living life and lurch out into the world as somewhat well behaved, respectful, and productive citizens.

That’s the plan.

I remember years back during a long day that felt really demanding having this thought slam into me at the force of a F5 hurricane…..

“OMG…. I’m the mom now……”

My heart was racing and I broke out into a sweat sinking into a chair as that thought washed over me.

Well, not really, but it was definitely one of those moments. Not that I hadn’t been a “mom” already at that point it just seemed that the light bulb came on.

I was going to be the room mom, project manager for all those lovely school projects, comforter during illnesses and relationship break ups, washer of mounds of clothes, baker and chef, chauffeur, etiquette teacher, counselor & advisor, maid of a neat and clean home for them to inhabit, lunch maker and slicer of apples and crust removal…. or my favorite… I can’t create a major school project out of a few toilet paper rolls the night before it’s due because you “forgot” even though they assigned it months ago 😛 Oh gosh, the list can go on.

We take care of those creatures… meet their needs and hopefully give them stability and a good life.

BUT in the mix of offering yourself up like a sacrifice to these creatures… perhaps they get to comfy with how well we take care of them.

For example, they develop a blind eye to glops of toothpaste in the sink, and learn to skillfully and carefully balance a single piece of trash on the (obviously) overflowing trash can. I’ve watched to see how long a roll of toilet paper could be left to wander around the floor before someone might take the 1.2 seconds to pop it in place ( note… sometimes the empty roll is all that’s left 😉 An empty dishwasher is certainly an invitation to leave them on the counter…

They must believe a magical fairy lives among them providing a clean home for them to live in… 😉

Then I had this thought… maybe… it’s me. Maybe I’m the odd one. No one else seems troubled by all the things I mentioned above. Like… not at all. They move through their days seemingly oblivious to the things that make me twitch.

I did an experiment the other morning. During the night it was obvious one of the dogs had lifted some trash from their bathroom trash can… it was like… right in the walk way to get into the bathroom…. I decided I’d leave it and see if someone would pick it up… or if they would just continue to step over it…I figured if no one got picked it up it would still be there waiting for me 😉

After awhile one son mentioned it and I casually said I was doing an experiment to see if people would continue to walk around it, or actually go ahead and pick it up….

To my surprise, after awhile, I realized it was gone.

There. Is. Hope.

I do know this, that even if my kids aren’t overly worried about housekeeping at this point, they can cook and do laundry, and have a working knowledge of managing their money, they have manners and know how to be respectful and polite. They are funny and kind. They understand the importance of working and investing themselves into it. Yeah,and they really do know how to clean ’cause I’ve seen them get after it before their friends come over haha it always impresses me that they keep those cleaning skills so well hidden 😉

So yeah, it is a rather non-stop, often thankless, hard, never ending job as a mom…. but then when you see your kids turning into adults and realizing that they really are getting it, makes you realize all that work, time and frustration over heaping trash and goopy toothpaste was all worth while .

They make you laugh. They make you cry. They frustrate you to the point of no return and you have had mental images of wrapping your hands around their throat 😉

Have you had those “mom” moments? I don’t want to leave the guys out either. But have you had moments in parenting that you…really…wondered? And yet somehow you’ve managed to get your kids to adulthood and want to celebrate that fact ’cause honestly, at times, you just weren’t sure you were gonna pull it off ?

Random Friday Facts

So it’s the end of the week. I can hear collective sighs of relief from all of you. No matter what we do in our lives there is something about the weekend that is an opportunity to hopefully just chill or do something a little out of the ordinary.

Can I get “preach it sister?” 😉

Anyway, out of the ordinary. I thought I’d just share some random, odd, or maybe weird facts about myself with you to give you a different look at me other than “the crazy blogger chick who loves running, veggies, and coffee” haha

Ok… in no particular order of any relevance or importance…..

I love running but only started as a middle age adult when I was about 46 or so. I have yet to hit my running prime 😉

I was not “athletic” in school but was a band geek and a twirler =)

I have lived in the same small town my entire life ( well, it’s not so small anymore but regardless, I’m still here )

I have been married to the same kind, wonderful, patient, amazing man for 31 years.

I have three sons and three daughters who were adopted, older, out of foster care.

I have 3 grandchildren.

My middle son was married in Sept so I’m a “mother in law” now 😉 Seriously, I love my new daughter.

I have a motorcycle license.

I do not like swimming under water and the idea of diving in head first really weirds me out.

Someday I might want to do a triathlon.

I have two tattoos that I love… and I want more 😉

I have a nose, eyebrow and belly piercing along with 3 sets in my ears.

I’ve never had braces.

I live on 17 acres of beautiful hill country property my mom bought the year I was born.

I’m very social and don’t meet strangers.

There’s nothing I love more than a perfect sunny day and being out in my Mustang convertible with the wind in my hair.

Music… is life. I’m a rock girl pretty through and through but enjoy other genres too. Having young adult kids I get turned on to a lot of new music which is a cool thing.

Dancing. I don’t get to do it nearly enough.

I love to read and wish I made more time for it.

Black and pink… my favorite colors.

Christmas is hands down my favorite holiday to go all out for. Baking, decorating, prettily wrapped packages, you name it, I love doing it.

Baked goods. I grew up on made from scratch goodies and it’s how I bake. I will admit to being a snob and can easily by pass store bought stuff. ( blame my grandmother and my mom 😉

I like driving fast. My youngest son teases me that I’m James Bond. I take that as a major compliment.

As I’ve gotten more fit in the last few years and built muscle, I’ve toyed with the idea of figure competitions. I don’t know if I have the strict discipline it would take to get me there. But who knows ?

I was one of 22 people selected out of over 423 entries for the December 2012 Runners World Body Edition. Most amazing experience….ever. You can read my post on it in my blog entries.

I love high heels with almost anything. At 6’0 I don’t NEED them but does that matter ?? 😉

On that topic, I love fashion and trendy stuff and anything that is distinct, different, unique, and overall non-boring. There is a future blog coming on fun fashion 😉

I adore short and fun dresses.

When it comes to jewelry, I have a major thing for bracelets.

I love to laugh… if you can make me do that… you’re definitely someone I want to be around. If you have a quirky sense of humor, even better.

I don’t take myself to seriously.

As I’ve… matured… I’ve learned to not worry about others and their opinions or if I am who they think I should be. It’s really rather freeing and liberating 😉

I love passionate people with vision and goals.. they inspire me to do more.

Nothing makes me happier than someone telling me that what I do through my health and fitness journey has inspired and motivated them to get started on their own. I wish I could describe how that really makes me feel. Amazing…..

One of my most fav things in the world is Saturday morning breakfast and coffee with my husband..

Gone With The Wind still makes me cry.

I relate to Scarlet … she was strong, passionate, determined, bold and at times a bit of a brat 😉 Uh… I don’t everrrr resemble those traits….

Some day… I might write a book. One must be still for great lengths of time for that to happen… so I don’t know…. 😉

Ok….blah, blah…..

Tell me something about you that’s interesting, fun, or different =) Don’t be shy…

Celebrating Coffee

This is a day late…but whatever… I never like following the rules anyway.

Yesterday was National Coffee Day so I’m going to give a nod to it and say of all beverages… doesn’t it deserve a special day of recognition ?

Those who know me, know and understand it helps operate me on a daily basis, hopefully on a high level 😉

I’m an easy to please no frills kinda girl with my coffee….I like it bold and black.

My day starts early and I am a happy camper to have a coffee pot that can be set to brew coffee before I roll outta bed. I mean really, to slowly be coming to life and smell it waiting for you ?

Ah… one of the 7th wonders of the world… glorious….

Stumble out… beady eyed… messy hair… find fav big cup… pour…. breath in…. and you begin to be infused with….life….

Once it brings me to life and my day is going, it is almost inevitable that later morning I’ll be making a stop at my fav coffee shop, Starbucks.

Now if you have issues with “the corporation” over something… don’t blow me up…. I do enjoy the coffee and since I drink it black it’s the 1) cheapest and 2) zero calories to the desserts in a cup they serve up as drinks.

I’ve been hanging out there for years now. And there is something ….soothing on a day that’s yucky and cold… or has been stressful… and grabbing a cup… and breathing it in… and all the sudden… the world feels upright 😉

But I figured out a long time ago as much as I love the coffee, I love the people who are there.

You may or may not have figured this out from me, but I’m very… social. That’s a gift, right ? haha

So over the years I’ve built friendships with people who work there and people who hang out there… the regulars if you wanna call them that… I guess I am too. One of the young girls who worked there recently caught me on her last day and hugged me and said…

“you’re our favorite regular here…” aww that made me happy =)

Ok… the baristas. Hard working, most of them youngish, often in school, and full of ideas and new dreams. I love getting to know them and make a point to connect with the new ones who show up. I love their energy and for some reason they think I’m cool. It’s a win/win thing.

I’ve had times of hanging out with some of them and having some really good conversations. Or listening to their struggles or whatever they were currently up to. They are often hard worked and sadly, can be treated badly by people. I try and bring them homemade treats at random times to let them know I appreciate them and their work. They know what I like and often have it waiting for me by the time I get in the door. I often hang out and read or write and they just let me make myself at home.

20130214_085058 — And when they love you they write on your cup =)

The regulars. The ones who are there predictably at the same times, in the same places. There are a group of guys who hold down one corner and they always are wanting to know about my running and what’s going on athletically. One gives me weather reports when I tell him my run days. Another is an older man who could be my dads age. He want to know if I’m over my running injury yet, or if I ran or cycled that morning. He was the one who kept asking me and encouraging me when I had confided in him I was toying with a 50K race earlier this year. He told me he was proud of me when I finally signed up. He is a sweet man who’s wife passed away a couple years ago. The entire place has kinda claimed him as “family”.

One older man has been a runner for years and has done countless marathons. I met him before I ran my first one and I shamelessly picked his brain for training ideas. None of them seem phased when I come cruising in my athletic clothes, no make up and sweaty from a long run. Many times they will offer to buy my coffee. Several of them think I’m crazy for doing what I do… but they admire me for it.

They all make an interesting group of individuals. Of course there are the friends I know and run into while I’m there OR my favorite, a total stranger that I can have an interesting conversation with.

No… I didn’t listen to my mommy when she said not to talk to strangers 😉

My favorite place is to be on the patio on a perfect day, reading or writing, and watching the world go by. It’s my favorite escape activity…. all the while enjoying coffee too….

I mean, is there a time when coffee isn’t a perfect accessory to daily activities ?

So, here’s to the designated coffee day, although I personally embrace and celebrate it each day 😉

20150215_195819 — This is my kinda coffee cup….

What about you ? Are you a coffee drinker? If so, do you have habits or rituals you do with it ?