20 Things Worth Noticing...

The long run of the week can be a little tedious when you're training for a race.  If you're lucky enough to be able to complete it outside, it makes for a far more interesting run than doing treadmill work.  Sometimes, it's easy to just jog along in your own little world for hours at a time, never really observing the world around you.  Last weekend there was a looming snow forecast.  I knew I wouldn't get another opportunity (possibly all week) to run outside.  My designated route was my normal 4.5 mile one, but to make it my 9 mile I had to run it twice.  That meant I had to make it a little more exciting since I'd be passing the same places two times.  I decided to take note of all the things I observed. 

I noticed...
1.  The Fed Ex and UPS guys make lots of deliveries on Saturdays.  And expect people to run around their trucks instead of into them.
2.  Some people throw one perfectly good hiking boot out on the street for no apparent reason.
3.  Snow is prettier when it's new. Not so much after several weeks have passed.
4.  Some people shovel their sidewalks, and some people haven't all winter.  They might be like me and not even own a shovel.
5.  32 degrees is a mildly enjoyable running temperature with the proper gear.  Without it, watching tv becomes more of a priority.
6.  The treadmill is a drag.  For realz.
7.  Some people think it's still Christmas season, and believe everyone else should still like Christmas lights/decorations as much as they do.
8.  "Get Over It" by the Eagles is was a song written specifically to match my running pace.
9.  The dog most likely to be walked by an old man wearing a fedora or a beret is small, white, and most likely picked out by his wife.
10.  Teenagers don't wear coats so often.
11.  Green socks sometimes find their way into the middle of the street, where they get run over and become almost unrecognizable.
12.  Sometimes you run into the same people doing their long runs, and you know this because you see them more than once while you're out doing yours.  Kind of embarrassing, but impossible to pretend not to see them.
13.  Sweating causes your hair to freeze if it's cold enough outside.
14.  You can forget you ran entire blocks if you get into the "zone".
15.  Gatorade isn't something you drink for the taste.
16. "Chewable energy caplets" can provide some much needed energy about halfway through.  But don't fool yourself: They don't even taste like chocolate a little bit.
17.  A twig wreath with little redbuds makes a snow person more gender specific.
18. It's possible to take a wrong turn on a route you've run a thousand times.  OK, maybe that's only possible for me...
19.  Using your house as the halfway point allows you to access all kinds of amenities you need after 5 miles.  Real race courses don't afford you that luxury.
20.  Salt and sand is rendered useless on the street after everything has melted.  It just ends up in people's shoes.

Next time you go out for your long run, your walk, or to pick up your mail, pay attention to your surroundings.  To quote Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast.  You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."