Dear Mr. Flag Bandanna and Backpack Runner Guy,
Yesterday afternoon as I was about 3 blocks into my 4 mile run through the quiet blocks of Huron's west side neighborhoods you overtook me with a running pace that most 17 year old cross country runners would be drooling over. I have no idea where you came from, but there you were on the other side of the road, startling me and then waving and flying by at your 7.5 mph pace.
I could make up excuses of why you, at your age, overtook me sooooo easily...I was still getting into my stride, I really hadn't been feeling too good yesterday, I was carrying extra technology (an iPod, a heart rate monitor and watch, and my keycard that lets me back into the building) that made me heavier by at least 24 ounces...but really you just smoked by me and smiled and waved.
Then I took notice of what you had on...it was flag day yesterday and to celebrate you had a bandanna on your head that was designed like a flag...cool, I'll give you that, I have been known to rock a bandanna now that I am a long hair. The other thing that totally wipes out my thoughts in the above paragraph...I thought I was carrying extra stuff, you were rocking a backpack. I assume it was a "hydration-style" back pack, but in the mesh carrying compartment I could see a cell phone, maybe some keys, I think I saw a baseball hat, and a copy of War and Peace...along with a gallon of water.
So what did this do to me? Well, first off I realized my pace was pretty weak and I should have stepped it up a bit, so I did, and you never were more than a block and a half in front of me on the entire route, which by the way is MY route and I found it first so no more passing me on MY route, if I want to have a slack run I should be able to enjoy it alone, not have some uberfit older guy sprint past me with his American flag bandanna waving to me in the dust....only to make me run faster and get in better shape.
When I did finally catch you around the Roger Kasa Baseball fields it was nice to exchange pleasantries with you...it went like this.
(Mr. Flag Bandana was now walking at a slow pace)
TOM: Hey good day for a run? So now you are walking so you can pass me in a block or 2 again?
FLAG BANDANNA DUDE: Naw you are good, I'm just cooling down, almost done...hey, keep at it, have a good one!
I enjoyed our little exchange and got a little jump in my stride for the next block or so, well...at least until I felt like he wasn't watching me anymore, then I kicked it back down to my 6 mph stride/jog.
In all reality it was nice to see someone else out running (and out running me)...and it is only the 3rd person in 4 years I have encountered running on the streets of Huron, besides the time I ran into the entire Huron High School cross country team and as we met they all wanted to high 5 me...that was cool.
Well I'll be out again today at about the same time, same route...I'll wave when you go past.
No comments:
Post a Comment