Observations from the Road

Because my long runs are way easier to pull off if I run without the munchkins, I am always at the mercy of my husband's schedule.  He is very wonderful about making my long run a priority, but he is also very wonderful about going to his job, so I usually have to wait until the job/run planets align on Sundays (sometimes Saturdays) to fit it in.  I do have a babysitter that my kids adore that I can call if all else fails!

Today's long run had to occur in the mid-afternoon (not ideal, but at least the heat-wave of recent weeks has passed).  I set out with just one handheld bottle of half-gatorade/half-water and some Jelly Belly Sport Beans (I love these, and sometimes look forward to long runs just because I know I get to have them!).

My run was about 25kms, and quite uneventful, which is just the way I like it.  As I sit with my feet up with my compression socks on, here are some random observations I made along the way.  Some about myself, some about traffic, some about garbage.

- I like to leave a good few feet of gravel between myself and oncoming traffic.  It means I run on the slightly uneven part of the gravel, and it means my shoes get dirty and dusty faster, but who wants to run in "new year's resolution-white" running shoes, anyway?

- Because of the fact that I run so close to the ditch, I notice an insane amount of litter that people throw out of their cars!  I decided to count just Tim Horton's cups today.  57 cups, folks.  Don't get me wrong, I love Tim Horton's (XL green tea, bag in, black, please).  But NEVER have I thrown the cup out on to the road when I finished it.  I think it is safe to say that we all have cup holders in our cars.  They hold empty cups too!  Wait until you get home to throw it away!!  Who do these people think picks up this garbage?  I think Tim Hortons should be "adopting" a LOT of highway for clean up.

- If I didn't have an ipod I think my route would be cut shorter.  I love all kinds of music for running--especially long runs.  If you don't own the Run Lola Run soundtrack, go and get it.  It is excellent running music, the entire thing.  The movie is exhausting to watch because of all of the running, and the music definitely has a perfect running rhythm.

- Sometimes I notice the same car twice during one run (going one way, then obviously going back the other).  I often wonder what the people in the car are thinking.  "Is she still running?"  I try to perk up a bit and show good form if this happens.

- I really prefer to do long runs in groups or at least with one other person, as it is easier to pass the miles while chatting away.  I do, however, enjoy taking in all of the scenery, and the overwhelming feeling I get of how lucky I am to be out there, doing just what I love to do.

- I don't own a Garmin, (am I the only runner left that doesn't have one?) and the other day as I started intervals my nike running watch went spastic and hasn't worked since.  I may need to replace it, and although it would be nice to have all of the bells and whistles, I feel like the Garmin might be something I can't take my eyes off of.  How will I count garbage if I am looking at the distance/speed I have travelled? :)

I don't know what my exact time was today, let alone the half split, as I was watch-less.  I do know that my husband was thinking about loading the kids in the car to, "take a drive just to see where I was" because he thought I should have been home already.  He didn't do the clock-math correctly, I was just under 2 hours, which is what I was aiming for.  It is nice to know someone is thinking about me while out on the lonely gravel of the road though. :)