What Sidewalk?

I recently moved to The Villages, Florida (well around there). Here, they're motto is that it is America's friendliest hometown...

I am running one afternoon recently with my husband, we usually try to run against the traffic of golf carts, and bikers on the path for various reasons. One being that they can see us, and two so that we are not running in the street.  Now, the pathways are listed as multimodality pathways...meaning they are not just golf cart paths! JR and I try to run as close to the curb as we can, if we can we will yield to the golf carts and hit the grass where possible. But being as the Villages like to have manicured lawns and medians...there isn't always room for us to do so.

So we are running one day and a golf cart passes, very fast, and as close as he could get to us and shouts..."on the sidewalk," shaking his fists.  My first reaction was like..."what sidewalk?" There isn't a sidewalk, only these pathways. They are made for walkers, bikers, runners, and golf carts...not just golf carts. Share the road jerk!  So many times we get "good for you" thumbs up and what not while we are running, so much encouragement comes for us during runs on normal days...but this guy was irratated that I was running on his cart path and not in the road with the cars....get off your high horse buddy!


JR and I also got lights for running at night. They have been well received!

And...one week from now I will be done with my half...I am only planning two runs this week...wish me luck!

Fanny or no fanny

As I run closer to my princess half here in a couple of weeks, along with the change in location of my daily runs I have been checking out “running gear.”  The gear I am speaking of is a road ID in case a 90-year-old woman with legal blindness and an obsession with white wine on a Monday night decides to run me over with her golf cart here in the Villages. This way when the EMS scrape me out from under her battery powered vehicle and I am knocked unconscious they will at least know what my name is, and where to find my love ones.  Also to help in case White Wine Wilma and I cross paths during an evening run, a light that blinks. Preferably in a horribly annoying color and level of brightness as to help legally blind Wilma to see me as I am coming towards her golf cart.  Then there is the water fanny pack product. They are ridiculous to look at, but I have come to realize that carrying a water bottle is silly and a PITA! The runner’s pack also provides a place to store my car key.  However they seem completely ridiculous with my cute running clothes…hmmm it’s a problem. LOL. And to top off my list, new running shoes. Mostly as to start phasing out my current Brooks and to prepare myself for the multiple halves, and possible full marathon I have planned for this year.

What? Multiple halves? A full? Yes, when I started this blog, it was to track my training and help myself decide on whether or not to participate in a full marathon after I survive the first one.  Since then I have turned my husband, and my best friend Brandon into running maniacs who have decided all they want to do is run and plan races.  Depending on the state of my poor knees after the princess run, I have planned to do the San Francisco half, the Wine and Dine half at Disney in October, and a full in December down in Miami. Thus potentially preparing me for the goofy challenge in January of next year. Not only this but in order to get to all of those races, I will be able to travel more, and continue on towards a life of healthy living. 

So…anyone want to try a half? Walkers are welcomed!!!