Friday, March 24, 2017

Runfessions: March

Ooops.

Last night as I was wrapping up my monthly runfessions, I had the realization this is not the last Friday of the month. Apparently, March has 31 days. I runfess that I have completely lost track of time. Isn't that what you are supposed to do when you're on vacation?

With no other post in the works, I decided to go ahead and publish this one. Let's head into the runfessional and see what other runfessions I have to share. It's been a long month.



This post is coming to you from paradise--aka Anna Maria Island, my most favorite place in Florida. I'm here by myself this year--sort of. I'm staying with my parents. I may have mentioned in a previous post that I rented a car. Or I should say--my husband rented a car for me. He prides himself on finding the best deal possible, spending hours researching and comparing. So naturally, when I got to the rental car counter and was offered an upgrade from the Ford Fusion he reserved to a Volkswagon Passat, I took it. I knew he'd be upset so I runfess that I may have fudged a bit when I shared the cost of the upgrade. After he reminded me of how hard he searched for a good deal for me, his next question to me was: "how do you like the Passat?" I know this man so well...


My parents gave me a really hard time about renting that car. No big deal. I get it, they love me and want to take care of me when I'm with them. But oh, what a price you pay for that. I runfess that I kind of snapped a few times with the exclusive attention they've been giving me. For example, I went to walk the beach one afternoon. I was looking for shells and just enjoying the surf. When I got back, it was about 2 hours later. My dad greeted me with "where the hell were you?". Um, the beach? I may be 54, but when I'm with them, I'm 12 again...


Do you remember a few months ago when I told you that I drank a protein shake 12 weeks past the expiration date? Clearly, I have an issue with throwing away food. I've been diligently eating my 75 servings of fruits and veggies per day. Or so it seems. I runfess that I've been eating avocados, even when they are brown. Do you do this? Do you think it is ok? I haven't gotten sick yet or anything. They look kind of gross but they taste ok, especially with a little salt.


Earlier this month, I did a 10 mile training run that presented numerous challenges. About 3 miles into the run, I felt a little rumble down under. Not to worry. I knew there was a porta potty at mile 4 and I picked up the pace a bit. The rumbling became more urgent and as I approached the parking lot where the porta potty was located, I noticed there was no porta potty! Panic ensued. I knew this wasn't going to end well if I didn't find a place to go. Cursing the park district for removing my oasis, I plodded on and scanned the woods along the path. Being early March, there was only brush and no leaves. I runfess I finally couldn't take it anymore. I dodged into the brush and took care of business. Just when you think that you can't sink any lower, life finds a way to make sure you do.

I did have a pack of wipes with me, in case you were wondering. And yes, I did finish that run.


I runfess that I love me some free race photos. What's not to love? Well, let me share one from last Saturday's 10 miler and you will see that I got what I paid for. Right?



Got anything to runfess? Ever needed to take a pit stop in the woods? Free race photos--love them or hate them? Do you eat old food or throw it away? 

I'm linking up with Marcia's Healthy Slice for Runfessions as well as Fairytales and Fitness and Running on Happy for the Friday 5!






73 comments :

  1. I runfess I have to scrape off the brown part of the avocado. I just read somewhere that they freeze well. Who knew? My mile 5ish porta potty is gone now too. Do they not understand runners run year 'round?? Sheesh. Sometimes even the pics they charge for are total crap so there's that. Do I sense a theme here?

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    1. Kim couldn't even find her pictures! I had to search by shirt color. My number turned up zero pictures.

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  2. I think that parents will never see us as adults, lol

    When nature calls, you just have to answer! I would have done the same thing!!

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    1. Well the only other alternative was...I don't even want to consider it.

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  3. Our (somewhat small) town puts all the bathrooms in the parks on "lockdown" though the winter. Last fall (clearly, NOT yet winter), my friend and I were out early for one of our long runs...and around mile six we purposely veered towards the "public" restrooms...only to find them boarded up. Thankfully, it wasn't even 6:00 yet (and still pretty dark), so we each selected a bush (near a low-hanging) tree branch.Nice, huh!

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    1. I chose that route knowing there was a portapotty at mile 4. It's always there. Has been for years. WTH?

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  4. Glad your enjoying our Florida experience. The weather has been fabulous this week.
    I am very careful to check expiration dates on my food. I don't eat anything that looks a bit dodgy!
    I've never tried Avocados. Wierd right? Guacamole reminds me too much of baby poop. I know I should get over myself and eat one. They are so healthy.
    I've peed in the woods but so far only pooped in my pants. Sigh.... I couldn't find anything to hide behind when code brown hit. Thankfully I was alone and I had a towel in my car to sit on.

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  5. I think people obsess way to much about food freshness. It's just oxidation -- it's not gonna kill you! I've run fessed about eating old fun more than once.

    So fat, knock on wood, no need for bushes to hide behind. I did have one treadmill run that when I finished I had to go right NOW. Luckily that's unusual for me!

    Enjoy vacation. I know you will!

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  6. Thank goodness for the wipes you had. Do you carry them with you for that purpose? I never think the carry them with me but usually have some in my car to wipe my face off with.

    Avocados are so tricky. There such a short window of time between them being rock hard and too mushy.

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    1. I always carry wipes with me on a long run. Even this summer, that portapotty had no TP. It was kind of dicey...

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  7. I runfess that I am TERRIBLE about eating old food. If something looks even vaguely past its date I just can't handle it.

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    1. With some foods, I'm pretty cautious but with other things, not so much.

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  8. Oh my gosh - I eat food past expiration date (I used expired apple cider in a pork tenderloin gravy last night...I was boiling it so figured it would b fine) but one thing I will not eat is brown avocados! They just taste different. More power to you! I generally scrap the brown layer off of the top if I'm eating a half of one I've already cut.

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  9. I am crazy about dates on food-I literally stalk the fridge and throw things away the day of. It drives my husband crazy!! Your trip looks fab hope you are really enjoying your rest and relaxation.

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  10. I eat yogurt all the time past the expiration date. I'm still here.

    AMI is heaven. Love it there.

    Last month when I went to Fla and stayed with friends, I rented a car. it was great and I loved the freedom and independence to do what I wanted and when.

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    1. I think yogurt stays fresh way beyond the expiration date. It has to be those live cultures.

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  11. I think we will always be kids to our parents. My Dad still treats me like a kid sometimes, but I let him b/c it can be comforting. lol!
    I hate throwing away food too.

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  12. I am very picky about my avocados - I can't even touch one if it's super squishy, much less cut it open and eat it. I will eat Greek yogurt when it's past the expiration date by a week or so, but not much longer than that. I used to throw away a lot of food but now I just don't buy much...my fridge looks like no one lives here, LOL.

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    1. My fridge is usually so full of food. It drives my husband crazy!

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  13. Aw, so funny that your parents were wondering where you were! I get that same kind of treatment when I go to Buffalo...one of the reasons I don't go often LOL.

    Aw, that race pic isn't so bad! I love free pics but now that you mention it, when I did the Love Run Relay last year my race pic was awful!

    Enjoy your vacay!

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  14. That comment from your dad is cracking me up!

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    1. It's kind of a classic remark from him. Some things never change!

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  15. Lol. Your parents want to protect you from the alligators. No way am I eating brown avocados Lol. I may have pooped in the woods when I was 14. I believe someone saw me😷😂😱 You're so lucky!�😜😂Cant think of any runfessions at the moment but I will soon.

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    1. I haven't seen any alligators here on AMI, but maybe they are lurking in the canals..

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  16. I find it so irritating when parks take away the portable toilets!! not ok at all!

    That's a great race picture! I love free race pictures, but I don't have any races like that here!

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  17. I don' eat avocados outside of guac, but I figure if brown bananas aren't going to kill you, neither will brown avocados. It just looks funky.

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  18. I consider expiration dates on foods, as well as on medications, as suggestions. I think the food and drug companies have quite the racquet going. What magically happens the day a medication "expires"??? I've taken medications years (yes, YEARS!) after the so-called expiration dates. Not only did I survive, the meds still worked!

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    1. For the most part I think meds are good for at least a year past their expiration, but I know that some of them don't last very long.

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  19. I've always wondered about brown avocados. And yes, I've pooped everywhere, in public. Bushes, side of the road, even in someone's front yard in their garden area. I was hugely pregnant and it was coming out, and I was in the middle of a subdivision. I carry wipes with me always!

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    1. My waist pack has to be big enough to accommodate the wipes. Its essential!

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  20. You were talking runfessions and had me all off too! I did change my post and will keep working the runfessions until next Friday :-) See when my parents come to Florida it is the opposite, they drink my wine, eat my food, brag about how much money they are saving and I am broke!!! LOL! I am so glad we got our day in the sun! Safe travels my friend! XXOO

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    1. I'm so sorry for the confusion. Don't listen to anything I tell you--my brain is addled! Miss you!

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  21. I am pretty sure no matter how old you get parents will always treat you that way, mine are the same and do not expect it to change any time soon! When I visit them I have to give disclaimers when I go out for a run about how long until they can get worried about me.

    ...I had a very similar instance recently in Florida. Was running loops around a massive deserted parking lot...gut was giving me warning signals for a while but I thought I could gut it out...nope. Had to squat behind a dumpster. No shame. It's not even my worst one. Yay to IBS and Crohn's :)

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  22. Parents will be parents haha. I can't believe they removed your porta potty!

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  23. Now you've got me rethinking my route for my 14 miler tomorrow. Pretty sure there aren't any porta potties along the way ;)

    The only race I've done that offered free photos did not get a picture of me crossing the finish line (guess the photographer decided to take a break during that time.) I was pretty bummed because my husband didn't take any either since we were expecting the race to have them. Oh well, I usually look pretty bad in those anyway!

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    1. I never count on those free race photos--I've run races where they didn't get any of me! When they do get them, they look like the one above. Ugh.

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  24. I ALWAYS take toilet paper! I have had to make pit stops many times. I even keep it in the car. I've heard so many horror stories...

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  25. I still eat the avocados when they have turned... they still taste good, just aren't that pretty to look at. I've found that if I stick them in the fridge as they are just getting soft, they last a lot longer.

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  26. We won't talk about the things that I have done behind bushes.

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  27. That's so funny! I saw this earlier today was wondering if I had my days wrong!! I'm following your fun adventures on IG...it's easy to lose track of time in Paradise...Enjoy!!! :-)

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  28. Thats so sweet that your parents still get so worried about you! I love being at my parents' because it makes me feel like Im a kid again with no responsibilities. I actually thought this was the last Friday of March too and had to double check the calendar!

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    1. I do and I don't love being with them--now they're getting old and I see some worrisome things.

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  29. This is by far the best runfessional ever. My parents drive me batty. I'm glad it's not just me. And sometimes you just gotta go!!!

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    1. I go home today. I'm sad to leave but looking forward to seeing my family and having them drive me crazy!

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  30. I run in an urban area, so no woods, but thankfully there's a lot of construction going on, so the neighborhoods are filled with porta potties...

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    1. I'm always afraid to use those construction portapotties, but desperate times call for desperate measures!

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  31. Lol my parents are the same way. Sorry to hear the porta potty was gone! I've had to go pretty bad on a trail in NJ once, at least you had TP. :p

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    1. I've learned my lesson and I always am prepared on a long run. You just never know.

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  32. Oops read that wrong. Thought you had TP, guess we were in the same situation. :p

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  33. Runfessions? This is new to me, fun! My photos always look like I am dying plus my mouth is always open (i am a mouth breather) so I hardly ever like them but I keep them for memories of the race. If they are free, even better. Sometimes the poor quality makes me not look so bad ha ha. Never eat brown avocados or anything out of date. And I rarely have to make a pit stop but when I do, I don't have wipes with me....yuk!

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    1. I've gotten pretty good at spotting the photogs and that way I can put on my best race face. But occasionally I miss them. Like at this race.

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  34. Hahaha! I absolutely love your runfessions...they do crack me up! I almost drank an expired protein drink the other day but chickened out. I'm terribly afraid of getting sick. Your bathroom shenanigans are to die for ...you should really write a book :) And as to the Passat ...I love mine! I traded my Tahoe in for one last October and can't imagine ever driving an SUV again. Love, love, love!

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    1. I'd be so happy not to have any bathroom shenanigans, really!

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  35. I haven't used a construction portapotty but it seems like it would be ok, right?

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  36. I think that my parents forget how old I am too. Whenever I'm at their house, or they're at mine, I get so many of the same questions that I did when I was a teenager, including, "And when will you be home?!?"

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  37. Oh dear, I'm afraid to share how old some of the food I just threw out of the pantry happened to be - perhaps I'll runfess it on Friday... I feel your pain on the missing porta potty. I have far too many of those types of stories to share. :-(

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