. . . but I doubt it
–Steven Tyler
It’s what Thinking Out Loud is meant to be: totally random this week. Just those little thoughts that occur to me at random times: shoes, running, swimming, and of course TOLT wouldn’t be complete without the furkids.
Why is multi person planning so hard?
And no, Darlene, I’m not talking about just you. I’ve got several things going on that involve multiple people. You would think in this day and age, with all the ways we can communicate, that it would be a snap to get things settled.
You would be wrong.
The shoe mysteries
Is it only me, or does this happen to you: you wear a pair of shoes. They’re totally comfortable. You walk all over the place in them and you have no problems with them.
Then one day you wear them to take the dogs on a short walk and they cut into your ankle, or your heel, or rub your little toe — all things they’ve never done before.
Why?
I know that weather can come into play, with your feet swelling (or not), but I’m talking about the same weather conditions. It happens!
Have you ever gone for a run . . .
. . . and just wanted to run away from everything going on in your life? Not just run off the stress, but go for a run and never come back. It seems appealing sometimes.
The track is closed!
Our group training starts out with about 6 weeks of hill repeats, and then goes on to track speedwork. The track they’ll be running at is about a 20 minute drive, and basically, I’d get home at the time I’d normally be in bed.
So I decided that I would just do my speedwork solo at the high school track that is just a mile down the road.
Except it’s under construction! Arggh!
I’m in good company — again
Thank you, Kristina @ fittous.com, for putting me on your Top 25 Running Blogs You Should Be Following in 2016. Many are familiar faces, but there are quite a few blogs there I was not aware of — and need to explore!
But heaven is a pool to your self
I got that last week: I was the only person swimming. This week I didn’t get out quite as early, so I had the pool to myself for about half my swim. This pool doesn’t put out lane markers, so when it’s crowded, there’s also a lot of waves splashing you.
Then the older people who just stand there talking came in. I’m not sure that I get that — I mean, you can talk anywhere, why go to all the trouble of changing into a swim suit, then struggling to get back into street clothes, all to just stand in a pool and yap? Whatever.
The sad part is the pool closes for 2 weeks for maintenance in a few weeks. I will miss my swims!
Gizmo has totally taken over Bandit’s bed
I used to tie Bandit to the desk that’s over the bed, but I decided at some point that considering his separation anxiety, it’s not a good idea for him to be with me all the time.
Now that Bandit’s not occupying the bed, and since Gizmo discovered it that night he was sick, he has taken to laying there. Probably to just get away from it all.
Bandit update
I used to do Chester updates all the time — Bandit is actually settling in quite well. Gizmo has now been totally free in the house for several days. One day Bandit did growl at Gizmo while Gizmo was playing with a box, but Bandit was crated.
We still keep them mostly separate, but we have walked Lola and Bandit together a few times — with Mr. Judy walking Lola and me walking Bandit. I’m not sure I’m up for walking them both together by myself.
We have also let them into the backyard together (Bandit did lunge at Lola once when we were getting them out there, so now we don’t take them out at the same time). Lola is free, Bandit is on a long lead. Lola tries to get him to play, and he chases her a little, and then stops. I’m not sure if that’s because of the lead or if he’s unsure.
Bandit has played a little tug and likes to chase a ball a little bit. We’ve finally found some food he seems to like and he’s actually eating breakfast and dinner without me having to feed him off my fingers anymore (Wellness Core* & Freshpet Select Nuggets — the kind they sell at Target, although I didn’t buy it there for anyone that wants to know).
He is slowly progressing with the muzzle. No nibbles on him from the rescue site that I am aware of, though.
* Disclaimer: this is an affiliate link. I make a very small commission if you buy this product from Amazon after clicking through my link.
Talk to me. Tell me in the comments:
Do your shoes randomly injure you?
Do you care if you do speedwork? Does it have to be at the track?
What is something you always take with you on vacation?
I’m linking up with Amanda at Running with Spoons for her:
Chocolaterunsjudy 
Loved the conversation Judy!
The shoe biting thing is irritating, isn’t it! It has happened to me a few times too. I’ve wondered if I drastically put on weight or reduced it for such a thing to happen but that doesn’t seem to be the reason and I haven’t figured the right one out yet. Well once I found a bee inside my shoe that kept biting me because she was stuck inside by her own doing. Those bites sure left my foot swollen and itchy for quite a bit! That was the only time I found a right reason for shoe bites (quite literally!)!
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“Shoe bites” — you always have such a nice turn of phrase!
I can’t even imagine being stung by a wasp on my foot. It must have been a wasp or hornet; I believe bees die once they sting you, but I could be wrong and either way, that’s still very painful!
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Well you are right…couldn’t have been a bee sting. But I felt more like something bit me..either ways, I managed my way out of the painful situation in good time 😉
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I don’t have access to a track here because they lock them all up, so no, speed work has to take place elsewhere. Just map out two points on a flat surface, it works just as good as a track. 😀
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Oh, I did end up just using my watch, but let’s just say, my frustrating weeks are not over yet and that was a very frustrating run.
I actually enjoy the track workouts, and I enjoy the camaraderie of our group, even if I’m running by myself (always), but the other time and place just won’t work for me. 😦
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I no longer am running for pace so speed work is not on the table for me. I haven’t run on tracks in a long tie, a few years, actually. If I need to though, there are several very near me.
I always take books and my needlework on vacation. And my running shoes and Garmin!
It’s heartening to read good news about Bandit. ❤
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I wish there was another so close to me. This track was sooooo convenient!
It’s hard to do speedwork in my neighborhood because there aren’t many flat sections. Which means it will take longer having to drive somewhere.
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I’m glad to hear that things with Bandit are progressing. It sounds like you have had to put in a lot of hard work and patience to keep him.
I love speed work, it’s probably my favorite workout of the week. I generally do like to do it at the track, but sometimes I just run by time. The track really brings me back to my sprinter days.
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I guess I’m going to be doing a lot of speedwork at the bike path 😦 The group meets too late for me.
I still hope to rehome Bandit, but I’m not sure how Mr. Judy really feels.
But he finally chewed the marrow out of a bone while I was gone today — that’s HUGE progress because he hadn’t been touching anything while I was gone. Apparently I just needed to be gone long enough . . .
Unfortunately he also had an accident in his crate early this morning, despite the fact that we took him on a short walk around 7:30 and Mr. Judy had let him out before he went to bed. Didn’t make a good start to my day at all. 😦
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Yay for some Bandit progress!! Boo for the pool closing soon and the track being closed! Yes, I have had shoes that randomly cause issues….I don’t know what’s up with that. I don’t bother with speedwork. I always take a book and my exercise clothes on vacation.
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It’s always 1 step forwards, 2 steps back (or visa versa) with Bandit. I suppose you could say life is never dull around him . . .
I could pack a whole lot lighter if I didn’t need exercise clothes. And running shoes. 🙂
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Gizmo looks so comfy 🙂 Glad things are becoming a but calmer for you!
I have issues with shoes all the time lol you know I have been dealing with issues way before i was injured, probably because that thinning pad was going on. I guess that is why I had such a hard time finding running shoes when I started running.
I do speed work in the bus loop – it works for me:) A group would be motivating though!
I often want to run away and not come back…daily lately.
That is nice to make the top 25 list : )
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Well, some days are calmer than others. Yesterday I spent my first half hour cleaning up his crate, despite the fact that we’d walked him (a short walk) in the evening and of course he went out after that, too. Always something.
Ok, I don’t want to run away every day, but sometimes it’s real tempting!
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