You know you are a Sparta Runner when....

A slushy, not fun, run with WENDY, Sandy, Mike and Jill. I believe Christy and Rhonda went also, just later and from home. Thanks for going early with me....

There a lot of things that you do which tell you, "You are a RUNNER (in SPARTA)!" Here are some, I am sure others will add more.....

In no particular order - beyond when they pop in my brain:

1. When you see a person running on the street you either give them a friendly honk or wonder "Who the heck is that and why don't they run with us?


2. While everyone is sleeping you are up running, and while everyone is awake you are sleeping.


3. You know that Body Glide is not found in an "Adult" store.


4. You have no problem being seeing in a fluorescent orange, reflective vest even though you are no longer in Safety Patrol. Plus, you refuse to believe that you look dorky. You look like a safe runner! Gol' Darn It!


5. You use "just finding new running routes" as an excuse to a police officer as to why you were taking a very 'odd' route to your children's school.


6. You know that there really isn't any temperature that is too cold to run in - at least that is what you tell people.


7. You know which friends keep their doors unlocked so you can run in and go to the bathroom at 5:00 am.


8. You want beer that has a lot of carbs in it. No Michelob Ultra for you!


9. You know which dogs have electronic fences and if you don't you ask a friend who does know.


10. You know that a Fuel Belt does work better than a water bottle tied around your waist with a string.


11. You spend more time thinking of new nicknames for your fellow runners than you do setting your goal time for your next race.


12. You have been known to look at the minute numbers on your alarm clock and think that they were the hour causing you to leap out of bed at an hour even more ungodly then 4:30!


13. Your face has mysteriously appeared on the body of an elf doing a cute little jig.


14. There a number of things you said you would never do, run a 10K, run a 1/2 marathon, run a marathon, run another marathon, get up in the morning to run, run in sub-zero temperatures, run on holidays, run in the rain, wind, snow, but yet you keep on doing them!


15. You seem to lose your ability to remember a route you have ran many times before when you are with other runners.

Missed Opportunities

A nice run with WENDY, Jenny, Sandy and Mike this morning. No rain/drizzle as forecasted and only a couple of streets are still covered in slush.

We missed a once in a lifetime opportunity today! We could have been the new bakery's first customers! The owner would have been eternally grateful, so when we hung out there Saturday mornings at 5:00 am without buying a single donut, he would have been fine with it.

This morning Jenny and Sandy were having a hard time remembering our route. I had a really funny thing to say about it, but I lost it in the excitement of the new bakery! Darn!

What a group!

It must be a record! Today 10 people ran - at various stages - this morning! 10!!! Can you believe it? What a fun group! It makes it so much easier and enjoyable to roll out of bed on a Saturday morning to go for a run. Of course Jill and Sandy get the medal since they started at 5:30! Now we just need to get the new people to come and experience the joy!

It came to my attention this morning that a bit of clarification is needed regarding the purpose of this blog. I appreciate that others respect me SO much that they expect this to be a truth based, factual and unbiased account of all happenings connected to our runs. Fortunately for me, however, the Power is in the Pen! There will be no clarifications of the truth, apologizesfor errors in stories, redemption of those who actually did tell their wife where weekday morning runners meet. Got it people (Tom)!?!? I mean, you do want this to be a funny blog - right?