New Sneakers, Skunk and Road Races

I think I need to start eating some brain food.

Yesterday I put a straw in Larsson's drink with part of the wrapper on, put Nora in a swimming pool with her shoes still on, and found--and then lost--a ten dollar bill in a few short minutes. (We were at the elevator at the Syracuse mall. I thought I had left the bill in the car but then was pleasantly surprised to find I had it with me. I put it in my pocket, we got on the elevator. We got off the elevator and walked the short distance to the food court. I went to take the money out and it was already gone.)

Today I woke up and realized that my usual workout clothes were all wet in the washer. So I had to wear different shorts (too big), a different shirt (OK) and a different sports bra (a little too big). I couldn't find my hat so I had to wear one of Braman's and I couldn't find my watch so I had to go without. Plus, I was wearing my new sneakers purchased yesterday in Syracuse.

Thank goodness I could find my mp3 player and at least listen to my audiobook because all the other unusual things were a little too much for me.

The run itself was OK. I kept thinking about how my new sneakers, a full size bigger than my last ones and with more arch support, felt and if they were hurting my feet or if my feet were still just sore from my last pair. I didn't like that I couldn't check my time on my watch. And I discovered that I am perhaps more afraid of indecisive skunks than of snarling dogs.

I was starting out on mile 1 downhill and could see a small black animal in the distance attempting to cross the street. It would start out but then, when it was almost to the other side, it would turn back again. It did this several times. I thought at first it was a cat but it seemed too low to the ground and then as I got closer I realized it was skunk. I stopped running and started walking slowly hoping that the animal would just make up its mind. But it couldn't. So I started scuffing my feet loudly on the street to let it know I was near. This seemed to help it decide as it then crossed the street and kept on going. Whew. The fear of being sprayed by a skunk, no matter how small or scatterbrained, is powerful.

Aside from the skunk incident and the fact that it was a very cool 56 degrees this morning, there is not much to report.

We're leaving this afternoon for Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts where I will run the Bridge of Flowers 10K tomorrow morning. The course is supposed to be hilly but scenic and I'm looking forward to it. I don't think I'll post while we're away but will write about it on Monday when we get home.

The Bridge of Flowers race is the first in a series of races I'm going to be running in the coming weeks. Others include:
Pud's Run 5K in Ithaca, NY
Skaneateles Labor Day Road Race in Skaneateles, NY
and the Ithaca 5 & 10 in Ithaca, NY (I'm doing the 10 miles)