1. Your car resembles a locker room
Ask me for a ride to town. Go ahead, do it. You're going to be sitting in the backseat though. My Hammer Gels and old protein bar wrappers like to sit up front (I think they get car sick). It's actually quite embarrassing when my friends get in my car and I have to take a minute to grab all my running gear and throw it in the back. Oh, you want to bring a friend along? Let me clean out my locker room in the backseat: Lulu pants, Body Glide, trail shoes, road shoes, face wipes, extra sports bra... should I continue? Wherever, whenever, I'm ready, ready, ready, ready to run as the Dixie Chicks would say.
2. Have squeeze bottle, will travel
The other day, I had a friend over for a glass of wine. When I opened the cupboard to grab a wine glass, I realized that there were no wine glasses to be found, only glass jars and an assortment of water bottles: Nalgenes, squeeze bottles from the different tri and cycle clubs and gyms I have been a part of and sturdy bottles they gave as souvenirs at various triathlons I've competed in. "So, did you want three ounces of wine or should I fill it to the top?" It's just so hard to decide which bottles to keep and which to throw out. Plus I love decorating my Nalgenes with bumper stickers, so I can't get rid of those, can I?
3. You have nothing to wear on a first date
It is really hard to go on anything past a first date for me. I have one dress that I wear on every first date, but when the second date rolls around, I can't wear the same thing. Then I have a choice between spandex and running shorts... Hmmmm which to choose for the fancy sushi bar? Oh, it gets worse... I took the one perfect first date dress to camp with me this summer, knowing I may go on at least one date. I wore it to the bar once and left it on my sleeping bag one day; next thing I knew, it was gone. Totally gone. So what did I do? Took the money I should have used on a new dress and bought some new running shoes.. hey, those are way more important to me. Is there any way to use a white running top as a fancy shirt with black pants without the reflective stripe on the back giving it's true purpose in life away?
4. On laundry day, your living room looks like a yard sale
Since most (if not all) of my clothing is made out of material that cannot be put through the dryer, I have to bring it home and throw it over any surface I can find: Lamps, the banister, chairs, the entertainment center, my bed, the couch, doors, etc. Downside: Clothing all over the house. On the plus side: Save quarters at the laundromat, I know where all my clothes are and my living room smells like fresh linens for a whole week!
5. You don't need nail polish because your toenails are already black and blue... or missing
How could I ever forget the day I lost my first toenail? I was swimming laps at work and I could feel my nail being pulled away from the skin every time I kicked my foot. Finally I decided to look down and check on it. It was hanging on by a thread, so I pulled it off and put it in the drain. Disgusting. Remember that day back in March when you went swimming and the water tasted funny? That was the taste of my toe. Delicious, right? I have had a fair share of bruised, callused, broken and barely-there toenails. I barely even notice a screwed up toe anymore.
6. The GPS on your watch isn't loading, so you measure the course you are about to run in your car first
Before I bought my Garmin, I would measure my route before most runs. I used the trip on my car, mapmyrun applications and more. Then I moved to Wyoming and everything changed. There was no way of checking distances because my car would never fit in the small paths I ran. It was too short to clear the rocks I climbed. It was too heavy to go diagonal on the steep slanted rock I shimmied across. And that is the story of how and why I bought my first Gamin. Sometimes my Garmin isn't charged though or it won't buffer, so I have two options: Run a route I know the distance of or drive the route first to check the distance. Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
7. When looking up places to move, you make sure they have good running trails
Lately I have been looking into moving to another state. When these thoughts cross through my head, I can't help but think about how good I have it now. I have summer weather 310 days a year. the other 55 are still gorgeous. There are numerous trails and paths and the other runners in the area are so helpful and friendly. There is really no reason for me to move. Sometimes though, I do dream about other trails. I look up the best running towns in Canada and Oregon and Washington. I dream... but then my mom sends me a picture of the first snow of the winter and I remember why I am so blessed to live where I do.
8. Your cat is named after a shoe company
The day I picked up my cat from the farm, I had just finished running a half marathon. So what did I name my cat? Well, Scofield after my favorite television show crush (Prison Break! Yay! Shout out to Dana!). But her middle name was after the shoe I wore that day: Saucony. Yup Scofield Saucony. Perfection.
9. You develop a relationship with your running shoes and it's really hard to say goodbye
No matter how old, beat up and battered they are, I always have a hard time donating my shoes. They have been through so much with me. It's like getting a new car; it's exciting, but it's hard to say goodbye.
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| I just donated these bad boys |
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