Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A Plague of Gnats and Paparazzi

I’m having a fight with Firefox and Blogger right now. They’ve tagged up on me and are currently winning.

Shocker.

Anyway, I’m writing this blog entry on Tuesday night and will likely post it Wednesday morning. Frankly, I’m tired, getting crabby, and want to go to bed and refuse to wait any longer for technology to catch up. [*Update, I posted Tuesday night using an Internet sneak attack! Pow!]

So, despite that peppy intro, I’m actually feeling good (aside from a wicked exercise-induced stomach/lung ache … this one’s a weird one folks).

So, what’s up, Beck? Why the good cheer?

People, I just finished Day 1 of Week 3 for the third time. Better yet, I just finished Take 2 of Week 3 yesterday.

Confused? Don’t be.

Basically I’m trying to tell you that I just ran two days in a row. I believe this is a first for me. For some odd reason I’ve always tried to put at least one day between runs. I don’t know what delusion I was operating under, but clearly people run back-to-back all the time. But it was a little challenging. Whether it was the weather, my tired body, or me sneaking in some extra long runs (increasing 90 seconds to 120 in one case and tacking on an extra minute at the end of my last walking interval), today was a toughy. I’m predicting another 3 tries at Week 3.

But anyway, go me!

Today I brought along the paparazzi, otherwise known as my mom, (Hi mom!) to take pictures of me running. It seems so lame, and I have a hard time thinking that anyone would want to see me running, but for the sake of the blog and for the possibility that I will encourage others, here are pictures.

The very pretty pond at the new running path. Excellent shot, Mom!

In the poetic words of the Black Eyed Peas, "Let's get it started."

If you ever see this view of me, you're probably walking.

Check out that stride! I actually look like a runner here! Probably because I'm running down hill.

Where's Waldo?
I'll give you a hint: She's probably running toward the Cracker Barrel and Chik-fil-A signs.

A Rocky moment.

Post-run cheese. It's amazing that you can't see the massive drops of sweat pouring off my head.
Please don't zoom. =)


Me and the paparazzo, my mom.


Back to the running. Yesterday I encountered another “obstacle.”

Bugs. Ew.

My lovely co-worker, Sara (Hi Sara!) asked me not too long ago about how I deal with bugs on my run because she deals with them on her nightly walk. “Ummm … bugs?” [Insert dumbfounded look.] I haven’t had to deal with bugs yet, but boy did they make their appearance yesterday.

Open-mouthed panting + bugs = splatter on my grillz and wings in my peepers.

Mmmm … protein!

So yeah, thanks, Sara, for cursing me with the plague of gnats on my gnightly run.

Does anyone have any secret anti-bug-crunching tactic that I should know about? What dictates a run’s bugginess? Is it time of day? Weather? Landscape (soggy vs. dry)?

Also, could there be* a more difficult way to upload pictures? Am I missing an easy way to do this on Blogger? Ugh!

* "Look! I'm Chandler Bing. Could I be wearing any more clothes?

3 comments:

  1. Evening and damp is usually going to make the bugs worse. But you can't really run at noon when it's 95, so you may just have to deal with them for now. :(
    But yay photos! Thanks, Beckey's mom! :P

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  2. LOOKS GREAT!

    Yeah, we run down by the river (and walk there with April), and I now have several bug bites on my legs. BOO!

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  3. Hahahahhahahaha LOVE the Friends reference!!!!

    I swear my Mom and I attract more mosquitoes than actually exist, but running I'm usually fine. I get them in my eyes more than my mouth, but I also always wear sunglasses (sensitive eyes) and chew gum (helps me breathe and not get thirsty as fast). But unfortunately you can't avoid them :(

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