I admit, when I'm running, I look pretty hot. Not hot like Rihanna, hot like I'm sweating my ass off. This is a hotness nobody wants a part of, and you definitely do not want to get near it.
Let me start with a little fact about me and my workout ethic. Every workout is something to me, it's not just a way to kill a few hours or an excuse to take an extra 15 minutes on my lunch break. I strive to constantly improve, whether it's being able to hold my shatarunga for 5 seconds longer during yoga or being able to run from my corner to the zoo in under 4 minutes. I don't think I'm a competitive person with others, but I'm very competitive against myself, if that makes sense? I want to know I'm constantly improving, not getting worse. Obviously, as I get older things are going to slow down, but for now I enjoy a personal challenge.
Timing is everything, especially for running. I find that I time myself a lot. I think I acquired this habit from work where we operate on billable hours. One night when going home I decided to time how long it takes me to get from the Metro to my door- 2 minutes. Then I wanted to see how long it would take me to get to my doorstep and get out my keys should I ever find myself being chased. You laugh at the thought of me doing this, but I know all of you are thinking, "hmmm I wonder how quickly I could get inside my house?" Time yourself sometime. You may be amazed at how long it takes to get that key in the hole and inside with the door shut.
So I do these runs on Sundays every once in a while that I call my 60 minute scramble. I basically take off in either direction on Connecticut Ave. and run for 30 minutes in the same direction then turn around and head back. Today I headed south which meant my goal was to step foot on the mall in 30 minutes, turn around and get back to my corner in the other 30 minutes. Depending on the pedestrian traffic I can either make it with seconds to spare or I miss it completely. Today it was the latter; I missed it by 1 minute 7 seconds. Not happy.
I deliberated about it as I waited for the light to turn at 17th street. It was all going so well, I took 20th Street vs. running through the circle, I ran the light at K street and zig zagged in between so many bikes and strollers that I resembled a roller derby skater. I believe the momentum was slowed early on back up Connecticut by the zoo. That effin' zoo traffic is a nightmare for anyone who is trying to actually get somewhere. I gave up bobbing and weaving and decided to just run in the street along the parked cars, ahhh wide lanes; (Seinfeld reference). I came back on to the sidewalk and there it was, cluster f*ck number 50: Tourists with strollers and multiple children.
Don't think I'm preaching because I'm all above doing anything like a tourist, I have plenty of times. But living in the city has taught me a few things about sidewalk traffic, the same laws of the road apply- you stay to the right. I realize that DC is great and there is plenty of stuff to look at, especially on your way to the zoo. Everyone loves a good bronzed lion statue and wants to get their picture taken next to it. I get it, you're on vacation. The problem I have is when a group of 5 people feel that they all need to walk next to each other and take up the whole width of the sidewalk. DC sidewalks are pretty generous I must say. There is a clear delineation between your side and my side. What confuses the 'eff out of me is when said group of 5 people walking on the sidewalk see me running towards them and they do not move out of the way. If there's a grassy area on the side I will go off the sidewalk to get by them, but if there's a tree or an object that could cause serious bodily damage, I don't move. That's how the cards played out this time. Group of 5 women, a mom, an aunt and 3 daughters, I'm guessing from Wisconsin based on the accent I overheard. The biggest of the daughters was looking right at me and holding her stare for a good 3 seconds as she watched me approach. I wasn't moving; besides there was no where to go but face first into a large oak tree. She had a choice to make, move or stay there and get elbowed; unfortunately she chose the latter. A 140 lb. moving object is going to hurt if it's hits you. I may not seem it, but I'm a big person. My shoulder went right into her arm and then I heard a sound I never thought I would here from a girl her size, "Oooowwww!" I turned and yelled, "Sorry, you need to share the sidewalk". Back to my opening statement, when I run I look hot. Why anyone would subject themselves to getting that close to a sweaty mess like myself is beyond me.
Someone once asked me if I was a serious runner. I responded that I'm a serious person and that I take running seriously, but I'm not a serious runner. A serious runner is someone like Paula Radcliffe, Kara Goucher or Joan Benoit Samuelson, who are Olympians and Marathon winners. I could never hang in that crowd. I enjoy running because every run is a new adventure, just like today. When I'm running, (outside of the Connecticut Ave. crowds), I may physically be in DC but my mind is elsewhere. I focus on the 3 things that are left to control, my legs, my lungs and my mind. I take myself somewhere new with every run. I find that the more I push myself physically the further I push my imagination. It really is true what they say about running, it's 90% mental endurance and 10% physical.
As I was running home I couldn't help but notice people gazing at the center of my stomach. I assumed it was a huge sweat stain. When I got home and caught a glance of myself, I saw that it was a little bit more. It was a sweat stain alright, but in the shape of a heart! I'm not kidding. It was a long skinny heart that clearly had two semi-circles at the top and a point at the bottom. I've heard of people seeing the outline of Jesus or Mother Teresa before, but I've never seen anything first hand. What could this possibly mean? Was cupid following me on my adventure today? Maybe all of that dodging and ducking down Connecticut Ave didn't throw him off his game and he was following me the whole time?
Who knows what's in store for me but I'll definitely keep everyone posted. I've been hit by the arrow and I'm keeping my faith that Prince Charming is on his way and he's not intimidated by sweat either!
To be continued.
Work Hard-Play Harder-Laugh the Hardest
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