Weekend Randomness...

When I first started running, it wasn’t unusual for me to get stopped by someone asking for directions. I guess, when you are running 11-12 minute miles, you look like you are out for a lackadaisical walk or some shit and people feel inclined to ask you directions to the Curb Center or the nearest gas station or whatever.

But, the thing is… it still happens. More than it should. Let me just say, that normally, I could care less. The last few times it’s happened, I’ve been at an intersection waiting for the light to change anyway, so it’s not a big deal.

It happened yesterday though and it happened in a totally obnoxious way. It was cold outside, so I had on my headphones and my ear muffs placed over the headphones. I was running on the sidewalk on the left hand side of the road. I was listening to my pearl jam or whatever, minding my own business and all the sudden this Escalade rolls up next to me and honks their horn (which seriously scared the shit out of me, I mean, I wasn’t even paying attention to the street), the back window rolls down and a kid hangs out and yells “hey” at me as I pass by. I turn my head back and stop and of course I have to pull my ear muffs off, and my headphones off to hear the driver say… “Do you know where Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital is?” I look around to see where I am (I was in the zone, I wasn’t even paying attention to the route). I realize that they have just passed Children’s Way, which is the street that the hospital is on (Ummm… doesn’t that make sense? That Vanderbilt’s Children Hospital is on Children’s Way?) So, I tell them that and I also say, you can make a left at the next two lights and you’ll be right at it. They roll the window up and drive off. And I spend the next 15 minutes trying to get my headphones and ear muffs situated correctly in my ear. Uggh.

Please, if you stop a runner for directions, don’t honk the horn at them and don’t be rude and definitely say thank you when they give you good directions. (Which, they didn’t do).

Other weekend news… I took Saturday off from running because my friend Sara was in town. We had lots of fun, although, I’m not sure I’m the best hostess. Most of the weekend was spent running errands and shopping in places that I needed to shop in, but she seemed to have a good time. You know you are getting mature when a friend comes to visit your definition of getting dressed up going out is this (don't mind the deer in the headlights look that i'm rocking):

And where did we go? Out to some hot new bar or club? No, we went to Carrabbas and flirted with the waiter like we were 17 or something. Sara attempted to help me with my flirting techniques and I think it must have helped, because the waiter did call me sweetie. (and then I left him a 5 dollar tip… smartest thing he ever did, huh?).

So, I finally bought new shoes this weekend! Woo Hoo. The next time I’m not marathon training and need new shoes, I’m going to try some different ones, some cheaper ones.

I watched Into the Wild this weekend and No Country for Old Men. Into the Wild was excellent. I can’t remember ever crying so hard at the end of a movie. Seriously, I had to go into the bathroom and compose myself after that movie. Very moving. Not saying that I want to burn my money and hitchhike to Alaska or anything, but it definitely puts a perspective on life that I sometimes need to be reminded of. I highly recommend it. No Country for Old Men was really good, too. But… I don’t think it lived up to the hype for me. And the ending? I guess I’m just used to movies ending with an actual ending, instead of just a scene ending and then the movie is over. I must say, I had a hard time falling asleep last night after watching it, though. I kept looking at my bedroom door, thinking that I heard a light “clink” sound outside my door. That Dude was CREEEE-PY.