Farewell my friends...

As you may know, I recently moved into a new home. It’s a step-up from the apartments that we have been in for the last two years. We now have more space, a yard and most importantly-we are no longer renting.
So while I’m really glad to have moved into the house, there are still some things that I’ll miss about living in the apartment. One of these things is my early morning run and the friendly, familiar faces that I would see everyday.
With these early risers, I would always exchange a smile and a wave…often a cheery “good morning!” or some other words of encouragement. So as a tribute to them, I’ve picked out a few of my favorites and I’d like to tell you a bit about what made them so special.

Sassy Power Walkin Grandma- This chatty grandma was my #1 favorite and I always looked forward to passing her on my run. A spry little old lady with a constant smile on her face, would shout out encouraging words that kept me going. Everyday, rain or shine, she got up at 5am for her 6 mile walk. When I slacked and didn’t get out of bed (very rarely happens…)and Greg was running solo, she would ask about me, but when I ran without Greg, she would ask about him, but then call him a chicken for not getting up to run. HA! Maybe that’s why I love her so much…

Spiffy Sweeties- The style award goes to these two! Not only did these old timer sweethearts walk hand-in-hand, but they even wore identical outfits! And they didn’t just throw on some clothes and go…Oh no…their t-shirts were always carefully tucked in. Serious fashionistas, I will say. They also rocked these giant radio headphones and so they had to yell their good mornings over the music. I still want to know what they listened to and if they were listening to the same thing...

Super Safe Bouncy Girl- Safety first! No car was going to hit this girl because she wore a bright orange, reflective vest! She also had the funniest running style I’ve ever seen. It was like she was bouncing up and down on a pogo stick or something. I have no idea how she even had enough energy to run more than a mile…it didn’t seem very efficient, but I guess everyone has their own style, right? Actually, I might not have even noticed the bounce running if she didn’t have really short curly short hair that flopped up and down as she ran. Quite a sight!

Military Man- I don’t really know if this guy is in the military or not, but he was totally hardcore and successfully made me feel like a weak-ass slacker. Thanks, Military Man. So not only did this guy run (fast), but he also wore a full backpack while doing it. I’m guessing there was some kind of weight in there, to make his run even more challenging. I’ve decided to do that, too, when I start training again. (no really, I am…and I’m offended that you don’t believe me!)

“Don’t Mess With Me” Mama- While bouncy girl protected herself from crazy, out-of-control vehicles on the road; this lady protected herself from the evildoers of the city. She walked with a golf club in hand, everyday, ready to beat down some criminals. And I thought pepper spray was good enough…

These few are the most interesting of the bunch…those that deserve a little introduction, but I can’t end the post without giving props to the familiar dog walkers and bikers that I would pass on a daily basis. Can’t forget those guys!

So I’ll raise my Gatorade in a toast to you, dear friends of the morning! Thanks for keeping my runs interesting! May you continue to rise early and make the neighborhoods of Cordova a better place!

Goodbye Apartment!

Hello Home!