I wouldn’t call it happenstance but
how about inevitably forgetful? Reminds me of my iPod misfortunes [1],[2]. For some reason I do my best work late a night and tonight I arrived at a good break point around 12:30 am. I had been working all day on my latest endeavor, radius ms, and decided that it was time to cruise over to my (relatively) new gym* - a 24-hour cardkey access sort of place. Not surprised, I turned out to be the only one there. I watched my ESPN and got the ol’ heart moving…but that’s not the focus of this story.
I often tote on the few social networking sites that I belong to, that I love a movie that gets my neurons talking to one another. Unfortunately it seems that the only time they do talk to eachother is when coerced by outside influence, never on their own. So, I finished my workout, casually tossed on my jacket and walked out the door. On my second step outside I looked up to see my car, bang! my neurons started dancin’ and my body reacted almost as quickly. I turned and lunged to grab the door that latched shut as my fingers wrapped around the handle. Disgrace.
Notably, I’m a rather forgetful guy, so I take special precaution with my car keys. The only place I take them out of my car is at the gym. Why? Well, my cardkey is attached to my keyring. If you lose the cardkey then it costs $10. No bueno. So I figure I won’t lose the cardkey if it is attached to my keys and I won’t lose my keys if I only bring them into the gym (the gym isn’t that big). All other times I lock those suckers in my car and then use the keypad to get in. (Feel free to break in and steal it - the gas mileage is pitiful.)
So what’s the problem? Well, my lull in brain activity committed me to another 20 or so minutes of unanticipated cardiovascular bruha. Peering throught the glass, I could see my keys sitting on the shelf just inside the door, and I couldn’t get to them. No one else was at the gym, and here I stood at the very north end of Boulder 3 miles or so from my home. It wasn’t warm either, 29 degrees. Ran through my options in 10 seconds. No keys, no cell phone, no people, no traffic. Looks like I was going to get my daily run in anyway. I scoured my car and came up with a beanie and some gloves i’d used on the previous day’s run. I took off at my 10k pace. No point in wasting time.
Three cars passed me going the opposite direction. Then one car passed me heading south. I thought about sticking out my thumb, but 1:30 am? Who knows who would pick me up. I turned and looked as a pretty blond staring back passed me at an awkwardly slow pace. It took me a second to figure out why so slow, but then I realized - 1:30 am? I looked like a blithering moron:
- Basketball Shorts
- Racing flats
- Nylon stocking beanie
- Reflective gloves
- Uncomfortably large fleece jacket **
They all probably thought I had just robbed the liquor store or something. So that option was out too. I opted for the big loop (well lit streets) to my house as I was admittedly scared to take the local Kalmia causeway - a little ditty the damned city forgot to flank with lights. Scares the hell out of me. So I rocked it down Broadway, hooked a left onto Iris and ran right into what must have been the remnants of a late night bacon bits factory. The smell was overwhelming, practically nauseating. Kicked up the speed. My calves were frozen, my jacket causing me nightmares, and I was just plain irritated with myself. Who the hell runs 3 miles at 2 am in 29 degree weather sans the proper gear? or with the proper gear? I didn’s see another soul, and I covered some good ground. I must be the only moron out there…
* Iron Works Fitness - It rules, the best gym ever! Kills 24 hour fitness.
** Stupid Pikes Peak Finishers jacket. They lined a perfectly good fleece coat with nylon. So instead of slipping in and feeling warm, you’re greeted by chilled nylon. yuckers. And when you run in freezing temperatures your sweat freezes right into that nylon. blah. Ok, i’m the stupid one, I know.
Filed by ryanroth at November 29th, 2005 under Moveerevews