Big Day: Part Two. Who Knew?

When PC#2 and I set sail yesterday, I figured the running-related big deal of the day was that our duo training for the upcoming virtual run began. Yeah!!! I am consistently honored when my kids want to participate in activities with me, so kick starting the pursuit of our goals together was huge to me.

And, then there was this other lady who got in the way. I'm about to tell the story because there are a couple of messages worth communicating, but I separated this story from yesterday's because there was no way I was going to include it in the first entry of running with my girl!

It went like this: So, you remember that Aaron and Elly met us at our split point where PC#2 walked home with them while I finished my miles. At the meeting point, both she and I stopped ... we had greeting to do, pics to take, that kind of thing. It's not like I just kept cruising and dropped PC#2 off with a wave. I do have manners.

Evidently, not everyone does.

I didn't realize we had company ...

Look close ...Where'd she come from?

... when we stopped, said hello and PC#2 bent over to give some lovin' to Elly. We had congregated on the sidewalk and, admittedly, taking up most of it. I happened to glance over my shoulder when I saw the woman running which is when I saw she didn't have enough room to get by between PC#2 and that retaining wall. Just as I was giving PC#2 a heads up, the woman -- who was not slowing her pace down at all -- desperately (yes, almost in a panic) called out, "On your left!!" because that's where she wanted to pass. However, without slowing her butt down, there was no possibility of PC#2 both processing what was said and  moving fast enough for Madame Super Star to not run into her. NO JOKE.

Mere seconds before the moment of
impact. (Look how excited Elly is! Little
did she know there was even more
excitement to come!!)

The only thing that kept the woman from totally barrelling into her was that she stopped herself by putting her hands on PC#2's hips to both catch herself and move our girl to the side!! And, then, she just kept her pace up and ran off! I mean, of course, what else was she supposed to do ...

 

ARE YOU EVEN KIDDING ME?!

 

Did this woman just run into our kid because she chose to not slow down? Did that really  just happen? Oh, hell yes, it did! Let's not discuss the explative that came out of my mouth, but I will say I looked at PC#2 and reminded her, "And, that's exactly the kind of person I'm teaching you not to be." PC#2 looked at me like, "Duh ..." Funny how a kid gets it.

 

Seriously. Disbelief. While it's true she couldn't pass on the left, she could have gone in the grass on the right. Or, slowed down. Or, stopped! Evidently, these were not options for her, so Aaron and I came up with possible reasons that it was so imperative  for her to maintain her pace:

• Top Secret Olympian no one around here has ever heard of
• Seasonal allergy to grass made it impossible to pass on the right
• Zombie Apocalypse. Totally true.
• She had ear buds in, so she couldn't see, either.
• Really, really had to pee.
• Mistook a morning run for roller derby.
• Wanted to beat us back to that garage sale.
• Raised by wolves. Born in a barn. However else your mom described 'lack of manners'.
• Hit with a bitch stick. Wait, what?

And, just when you thought I had nothing good to say ...

 

By the time I hit my fourth mile, I had done a lot of self-talk including, in addition to the aforementioned potential reasons for the incident, it also crossed my mind that she was genuinely in a hurry to get where she was going. Maybe she received an urgent phone call while out running (could she hear a phone with ear buds in? Yeah, the skepticism lives ... but I have to concede that there might just have been an actual, important reason for the action that incited this mama bear.

I also used this situation to remind myself to forgive, to not let that singular incident overshadow the great outing I had with my girl and to tuck that moment away as a reminder of why I do what I do the way that I do it. And, that's just about when I hit a payoff.

 

My turn-around point for this stretch was at the bottom of a hill (I know, great planning ...). I was going down that hill when there was a lady on the other side of the street walking up it. This hill is short, but it sucks, so any way you get up it is a victory. And, when she saw me, she didn't just wave: Remember the last scene of The Breakfast Club  when Judd Nelson's character is walking away and shoots his fist straight in the air in personal victory? That's pretty much what this lady did when she saw me. She didn't just wave. She shot fist in the air in clear exercise solidarity. It was fan-freakin'-tastic. I know it doesn't sound like much, but, trust me. I knew exactly what she was feeling on the other side of that street going up that hill. And, I was stoked for her.

I turned around and crossed the street when I saw her start to jog on the straight away. I couldn't help but think back to how I started ... run the flat and down parts of the streets, walk up all inclines. She soooooo reminded me of me from her gait to the look on her face both in determination and pride. But, she had more than when I first started because she also threw the goodness out there. She was very much, "Here I am, and there you are, and we both rock!"

I ran the rest of the way home smiling to myself. Crazy Wish-I-Were-An-Olympian-But-I'm-So-Not lady was probably home by then complaining about how her run and time were all messed up because of the suckfest family who dared to be in her way. But, I made myself not consider her anymore because I was so quickly reminded of a better kind of humanity.

So, here's to you, Ms. No Manners ...

Perfect timing to post this, Power of Run Facebook page!!

... I'll stick to running my way with my girl and cheering strangers. That's way more fun than plowing into a child no matter your reason for doing so  and acting like they're the problem.

See you tomorrow after the polite morning run!