Just Doing My Part, Folks.

Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea, the running gurus at Another Mother Runner (www.anothermotherrunner.com) have put up a list of 10 Running-Related Personal Questions with the idea that we take this party viral.  Feel free to answer them for yourselves, and pass it along.

1. Best run ever: Probably a 10-miler around my in-laws' neighborhood in suburban Philly.  There's a post about it here, somewhere.  What amused me about it was that my in-laws were flabbergasted by the idea that someone supposedly in her right mind would drag it out of bed before the sun to run TEN MILES.  And more so that I was keen on the idea.  And even more so that I did it and walked back in the house upright as if I'd done nothing more than get the paper.  Lots of old-school Red Hot Chili Peppers on that run, and my nose kept running at a pace approximating the one of my feet.  Only someone who runs would get why this was a good morning.

2. Three words that describe my running:  Mid-pack.  Good-humored.  Solo.  Oh hell, that's 5 words.

3. My go-to running outfit is:  Black capris (Must. Have. Drawstring.), dri-fit running top, visor.  You shut your mouth about my stinky dirty visor.  I know it makes me look ridiculous, but sunglasses are a bad idea with a sweaty face, and baseball caps make my head feel like it's going to spontaneously combust.  Visor.

4. Quirky habit while running: I leap over puddles like Baryshnikov.  Ok, maybe not with that much grace and aplomb, but I have a horror of getting blisters from wet feet, so you won't catch me stomping through standing water.

5. Morning, midday, evening: Morning, whenever possible.  Recently, I've rediscovered the joys of running in first light, sans iPod, alone.  The change in my attitude toward running has been startling ever since.  I'll run on a treadmill when it's necessary, but please, may it not be necessary.

6. I won’t run outside when it’s:  too hot.  HAHA!  You'd think I never run outside at all!  In all seriousness, it's inhumane to run in 90-plus degree/100% humidity weather.  Nothing says "Here, have a migraine!" quite like that.  It's off to the treadmill.

7. Worst injury—and how I got over it: The injury train stops here fairly often, but the worst of the lot has been the stress reaction in 2010 right before the Jazz Half.  There must be some sort of law that significant injuries must occur during really, really good runs.  Thank goodness My Better Half was able to get me a bone stimulator to coerce my fibula into healing itself. 

8. I felt most like a badass mother runner when: I ran the Jazz Half despite that damned fibula. Which in retrospect probably made me a stupid-ass mother runner.  A close second would be the first time I ever ran 10 miles.  Oddly, 10 miles doesn't seem so long to me now, sitting here typing this.  10 bucks it would feel every bit of the 10 miles if I were to strap those shoes on right now....

9. Next race is: Serious race?  I have no idea.  I'm running the Tap'n'Run 4K in November, and The Color Run in December, but those are for fun.  Should you feel the need to put some money down, go ahead and put it on the St. Pete Beach Classic 10K in January.  One of these days I'll get around to running Gasparilla, but I just can't wrap my head around paying to run where I run for free.

10. Potential running goal for 2013:  There will be 13.1 in 2013.  Where and when is still TBD.  If I were to say I have no plans to ever run 26.2, I'd be a liar.  Hmmmm.