Friday, January 6, 2012

you're going the wrong way!

it has been really cold here in florida this week. i know that 30's and 40's is not a big deal to my friends in the snowy, colder states, but have some sympathy for me. i really tried to get up early and run like i usually do but the cold  paralyzed me and i just couldn't do it. however, i did negotiate with myself and promised that i would do my run later, once it warmed up a bit. on Tuesday, i got home from work, and didn't dilly dally around like i normally do. i laced up my pretty orange running shoes, put 2 layers of clothes on top, shorts, a knit cap and then compression socks for warmth only. i looked so cute, lol!

this is just a re-enactment photo ...i actually had a little more on
ok, so back to my run; i promise this story gets better. i decided that i was going to do 10-11 miles and normally, i would do this in my subdivision but since i had daylight to work with, i decided to head to my favorite stomping grounds, flatwoods park. the loop is 7 miles around and the part to and from my front door to the loop is another 3.35 miles. this is the same park that i've had some run-ins (literally) with other "oblivious" cyclists and lots of near misses with headphone wearing runners and rollerbladders who don't look back before making a u-turn as you are passing them on their left. there are signs at both entrances to the park that clearly state, all rollerbladers and cyclists go in a counter clockwise direction only. it says nothing about runners and walkers. in the 20 years that i have been running at this park, i have always run in a clockwise direction because frankly, i want to see who is about to hit me. i don't trust a lot of the novice cyclists and families on their bikes coming up behind me. never once has anyone told me i was going the wrong way, until tuesday. the ranger came up in his truck next to me and says, "you know the loop goes in the other direction." i said, "yeah, and if anyone is coming toward me, i'll hop over into the grass like i always do." then he says, "well, it's just easier for us if you go the right way." easier? how? mind you, it was so dang cold, i never saw one person out there and this park is HUGE! i believe that this ranger, must have been a substitute for someone on vacation because i know most of the rangers out there and they always wave at me, never power trip on me so i don't know what this guy's problem was. and you'd be proud of me too because i kept running in the wrong direction for the rest of my run. in fact, he kinda irked me, which in turn, made me run even faster. this video kept going thru my head the entire time after my park ranger encounter, enjoy:

since we are on the running subject, i ran 22 miles today at a very nice clip of 7:58/mi. i waited until it warmed up and i even ran in the wrong direction. this time, nobody had anything to say about it and yes, the ranger went right by me in his truck.

i need to get off this computer and get to King Burger immediately. NO, no, it isn't for me. i don't eat fast food. as my best friend/best race sherpa, Angie would say, "that Joel is so cool." really? and i'm not because i refuse to eat hamburgers? whatevz! one more video and i promise you will pee in your pants:
i hope everyone has a lovely weekend planned out and as Bon-qui-qui would say, don't get too crazy now! much love and peace out.

18 comments:

  1. I'm sorry did you not see me on Facebook and you interrupting me.....se-CURE-ity....se-CURE-ity.......

    Keep running your own way and keep doing what you do.

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  2. I don't know...it makes sense to me that you'd run opposite the wheels...that's how it works on the roads.

    I can't mock your "cold" weather woes, because it was 67 degrees here today. 67 degrees!! In January! But it always takes me a while to get into cold weather mode when the seasons shift, so I can totally see how it would be hard for you when it's not normal. Way to get out there and keep showing us mere mortals how it's done. :)

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  3. I think some people just get on power trips and have nothing better to do... you showed his ass up! :)

    Nice job on your runs, have a great weekend!

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  4. I glad JC didn't have to bail you out of the Flatwood jail!

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  5. We have a path around the lake by us (4.3 mile loop). The paths are pretty much reserved for runners/walkers/roller bladers (don't get me started on roller bladers) and bikes stick to the road. It bugs the hell out of me when someone on the path is not sticking to the right like the posted signs say to. Not to mention the groups spread across the width of the trail who don't budge even when they see you coming. Inconsiderateness is one of my pet peeves.

    Nice work on the runs!!! 22 miles!! Are you training for a spring marathon that I missed the announcement of?

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  6. I am with IBT - is there a spring mary we missed?

    nice work! You shoulda seen me on Tuesday morning's 39-degree bike ride. A lot like I imagine your run. Just not as long.

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  7. You're going the wrong way! Hilarious! Way to go on spanking that 22 miler. 7:58's are fast for my short runs! :) Way to go, KC!

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  8. I am sorry about your cold weather woes. I hope it gets warmer sooner.

    I love the videos!!!!!

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  9. Love Bon qui qui! You are quite the rebel - ha ha! I have to agree, I would much rather see what was about to hit me :)

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  10. Haha...Bon Qui Qui..love it! :)

    Nice job with your runs! Woohoo..you are doing awesome! AND, I would totally run the same way on that path as you do! :)

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  11. We have a paved trail near me that has a section marked off for cyclists pointing them in the clockwise direction. Every time I'm there, anyone else is walking, running, or blading counter-clockwise.

    It just doesn't make sense to all go one way! Nice job ignoring the ranger and doing the RIGHT thing.

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  12. When I saw the header in Google reader i immediately thought of this seen from P,T & A and was really happy to see you go there!

    Nice freaking run! Sweet pace over 22!

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  13. I love the new post, I could totally visualize the scenario. We also have rules like that, at some of our parks here in the state of Washington. However like you; I rather run against traffic, then with-traffic, & worry the whole time whether someone is coming up behind me. I love the videos they cracked me up... :-) Where did you get the shorts, they look super-cool!

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  14. going the wrong way? that makes no sense. I hate rangers that try a power trip.

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  15. Wow... what an asshole.

    I do the same thing when it gets cold up here, go for the compression socks as a "layer of clothes" haha :)

    Hopefully it swung back up to normal temps because we have been in mid 40s on and off for weeks now :) WOOHOO!

    (shorts and tshirt weather)

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  16. As someone who works for the county and is actually involved with Parks as one of my duties, I can only attribute that "ranger" as one of the staff that was RIF'ed in the last round of layoffs and is actually from another division, and is not a true ranger (none of them are).

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  17. Whatever, you run against the herd! You blaze your own trail! I'm sure there's plenty more that ranger can be doing than harassing a lone runner on a cold day.

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