Eavesdropper

Today I was a shameless eavesdropper.  It was long run Sunday and with a biting wind I wimped out and went into town to run on the track at the local gym.  I am not into the gym lifestyle at all!  Really avoid the places like the plague.  However, wind chill vs gym - the gym won as the lesser of two evils.  

I ran from 12:40 to 2:15 and then completed 10 minutes of stretching.  This gave me plenty of time to listen to snatches of conversations and to marvel at the sheer variety of people and running styles.  Quite frankly anyone who is willing to brave the gym on a regular basis gets kudos from me.  That said, I learned some very interesting things today.  For the final hour of my run there were two ladies walking.  Such drama and venting occurring with each step.  I wondered how anyone can steadily remain that negative over such an extended period of time.  The one lady would even wave her arms about when making her point about how no one (except for her) is right/could understand, her irritation with the world very clear.  She actually made me nervous when I would go to pass her.  I do understand that exercise is a great way to vent frustration but after about 10-20 minutes of venting I would be vented out!  (Trust me - there is a particular person I'd like to drop kick right now and even that wouldn't get me an hour of venting!)  But on the other hand, I make a conscious effort to live a positive life and to not take my frustrations out on other people.  

I watched as two high school students bonded over stretching.  I was bug eyed over the thunder footed runner who was like the energiser bunny and just kept going.  I think my body would have been crying for mercy if I ran the way he did!  I shared knowing smiles with another girl who clearly was training for something just as I am.  I grinned with joy as she grimaced down an energy gel.  (Heh - they're disgusting, and if I'm not the one taking it - that's a simple pleasure.)  I gaped in astonishment as I passed an overweight man (kudos for the gym) walking and carrying a coke!!  My inner voice wanted to shriek at him - put the coke down and get a bloody water!!  Ye gads - is a wonder?  I snickered as the mom and grandmother who debated insistently how to work their running watch.  (Technology ain't it a wonder!) I personally don't wear a watch.   I will admit to using one of my running partners Garmin info to plan how long I needed to run today but that's the extent of it.  

All in all, it was kinda fun, if not completely different than running in the country with my dogs.  For those of you wondering my long run today was 16k or 10 miles.  Just call me a sucker for punishment!