Doubles and Easter

Yesterday I got two runs in, because I knew that today I'd be A) Traveling and B) Hungover.

I'm not really hungover. But I should be. It was a Magners and G&T fueled evening. Along with karaoke...I know what you're thinking, and yes, I do sound like Aretha Franklin when I sing "Respect".



I'm heading to the land of Cleve today for Easter stuff with my family. Today marks the day before the beginning of the Triduum, possibly my favourite time in the whole liturgical year. Today is Holy Thursday, which is generally when services commemorating the Last Supper and the washing of the feet are celebrated. I don't let people wash my feet. I have a thing with feet and now that I'm a runner, I've got super nasty feet. Truly, they are terrible. I doubt that even if I was in Rome and the Pope offered, that I'd acquiesce. It'll be nice to be with my family. Although no one seems to be too keen on my idea of finding a Latin mass on Sunday. How pedestrian!



Back to the runs...they just felt like a lot of work! My morning run was 40 minutes and non-eventful, pretty chilly, running. Not a lot of people out and nothing interesting to see. I was glad to be done. Something nice, however, was the fact that it's getting light out sooner. This cast a beautiful purple glow on Lake Mich. All in all, the scene was pretty peaceful.

The run that evening was equally laborious. The attitude, however, was anything but that. I found myself unable to slow down, even though it probably would have felt a whole lot better! Per Viper's advice, I also found myself passing people. This does not happen too much for me, given the fact that I'm so darn slow. However, as I was passing the tennis courts on Belmont, I noticed a guy crossing from where the golf course is. He looked at me as I passed by him, and clearly decided that this would not be good for his ego.

So he cheated. Let me explain...as you pass by the Totem pole, you sort of curve left as you're heading South, then cross over the access road, where you rejoin the path, just to the left of the harbour. Of course, you can always run on the road, with the cars that have exited Lakeshore Drive, and bypass the little curve. So that's what Asshat Runner #1 did. Unfortunately for him, he was slow and I was feeling competitive. So I passed him, with authority. Tool.

Not to be outdone, he turned around before me! I still had another few minutes to run before the turnaround, so I ignored him. For the time being. When I did turnaround, it was only a matter of time before I passed Asshat Runner #1 again. Oh, sweet Victory!

Honestly, I did need to slow down a bit. I hadn't intended to do any speed work yesterday. So, as I was nearing the Recreation Drive curve/Totem pole, I slowed a little. At that very moment, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Asshat Runner #2, a skinny chick. I had actually seen her earlier. She had just walked onto the path, clearly on fresh legs. And now she was trying to pass me. Once again, due to a random competitive streak this very day, I was in no mood to be passed. Not by someone who weighs half of what I weight. So, knowing that I was going to pay for it later, I sped up. If she really wanted to pass me, she was going to have to work for it. Why should I be the only one doing impromptu speed work anyway?!

Well, she did not pass me. Take that, Asshat Runner #2.

And then of course, as soon as I turned off the path onto Irving Park to head home, I promptly stopped Joanie Garmin and started wheezing and walking. But none of the skinny fast people saw me do it. I think.