Thursday, December 24, 2020

Holiday Runfessions

It might be Christmas Day, but it's also the last Friday of the month. That means only one thing--we get to runfess! Marcia has generously opened the runfessional today. I've got a few things to runfess. I know, shocker, right?

A gift from a friend

I runfess that on a run to one of my preserves, I was forced off the road by a woman driving a Chevy Tahoe. This preserve is in a rural area. The road that leads to the preserve doesn't have a shoulder or a sidewalk. The driver waved at me, like hey! I guess to let me know she knew I was there. She couldn't move over to give me space? Honey, maybe if you're going to drive like a jerk, don't have vanity plates with your last name on them. This got me thinking for the next couple of miles about vanity plates...what is the funniest license plate you've seen? Do you spend your miles trying to figure out the cryptic ones like I do?

Probably one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes!


I runfess that I was annoyed by Strava's 'end of the year' stats, which I received last week. Um, it's not the end of the year until December 31, right? So why jump the gun? There are still many miles to run. Interestingly, Strava had me hitting over 1200 miles already for the year. Garmin does not--but I expect to by the end of the month. Which begs the question- why is there such a difference between Strava miles and Garmin?

As of 12/22

I runfess that as I do every holiday season, I shopped for myself. Moms, you feel me, right? I landed a few nice bargains. My new Inknburn pullover was not a bargain, but it was just the perfect gift to myself. So pretty and warm. I can never have enough winter running gear! 

I received an email from the Ice Age Trail RD about May's race. Will it happen? He's not at all sure, but wanted to offer deferrals to 2022, should anyone want to do that. Oh, and there are openings in the 50k race if anyone wants to transfer their bib. I runfess that I gave that serious consideration. I so want to do that distance. But will my body let me? It's the training that did me in the last time I tried. Will the pandemic let up? Ayyy, the struggle is real.


Speaking of the pandemic, many of you know I received my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the second dose scheduled in 2 weeks. I runfess that I was both thrilled-by the positive responses and the number of people receiving the vaccine--and disheartened by the troll who hit my IG post and left multiple rude comments. With regards to side effects, I had a mild headache the day after the vaccine and I did get a bruise at the injection site on my arm. Everyone at work was making jokes about it being from the microchip that conspiracy theorists say is in the vaccine. I'm not worried about that. As any runner knows, you can never have enough tracking devices! Am I right?


I runfess that as soon as I got home from receiving the vaccine, I began Googling races for 2021. The thought of training for and traveling to races is just so exciting to me. Of course, the races I found are in Florida. I won't make any decisions right now, but it's thrilling to think that this bit of normalcy is actually within reach.


What do you have to runfess? Vanity license plates, yay or nay? What did you gift for yourself? Come on, you know you did! Are you looking forward to lining up for a race in 2021? We're almost there! Let's not let down our guard. Mask up, wash your hands, and get vaccinated as soon as you can. Let's end this thing!

I'm linking up with Marcia for Runfessions!











28 comments :

  1. I have an MA in American Studies and actually did a paper on license plates ;)

    I also had to laugh about your tracking meme. My ex worked with a woman who many people thought may have slept her way into her job. She sure did with him, but I digress. Anyway, they were having a discussion about how to create a work order system that used GPS so that employees could follow a route and check off as completed. Her response was that they would have to install GPS on all their devices. She didn't realize she had it on her phone already! Realizing her husband might be able to track her freaked her out. Oops!!

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    1. I'd love to hear more about your paper--I bet the research was interesting! LOL on your story!

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  2. I always considered vanity plates to be rather egotistical and have always avoided them. There are some fun ones out there though. I've definitely fallen victim to cars that aren't great about sharing the road. One even aimed for me, laughing. Ugh. I should have gifted myself new running shoes but I runfess I failed. Thanks for 'fessing up! Merry Christmas my friend!

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  3. I tried to look up a few custom plates but everything was taken that I wanted so I gave up.There are always aggressive people out there in cars I tend to run into them more on my bike. I also thought the early Strave was odd and a little out of whack w my Garmin. That's okay just happy to be logging the miles. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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    1. I agree with your sentiment! It's been a good year of running!

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  4. Oh, I definitely gifted myself. I always do at this time of year. Who doesn't, really?

    It's such a hard decision on whether or not to go for a potentially live race later in the year. I was discussing this with my husband just yesterday, actually, because there's my one deferred race from this year. We did not come to a conclusion.

    Merry Christmas, Wendy!

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    1. I'm waiting to pull the trigger on any live races. I'm glad I won't have to worry about contracting COVID but I do not want to do any more virtual races!

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  5. I did a bit of shopping for myself too, but my husband is a good gift-giver — better than I am. I like seeing/figuring out vanity tags. I like the ones that go with cute cars. There’s a red mini cooper with “HOT PEPPR” tags that makes me smile. LOL on the microchip conspiracy theory.
    I think the needle would have to be a bit larger. Merry Christmas!

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    1. We've had a lot of fun with that whole conspiracy theory and hey, if it means 5G is coming, I'm all about that! :p

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  6. Merry Merry To You And The Family - Pleased You Were Safe And Not Run Over - A$$MAN Is A Classic Episode For Sure - I Would Totally Order A Vanity Plate But Its An Extra Charge - Hard To Believe But I Passed On A Christmas Gift This Year For Myself - Made A Bunch For Family And Friends Though - Stoked You Are Vaccinated And Hadn't Heart Of Chips, Side Effects, etc - Shadow Boy Was Chipped And It Paid Off For Him So Sign Me Up As I Tend To Wonder - Would Absolutely Love To Race In 2021 But Nothing On The Agenda Just Yet - Thank You For Corresponding Over The Years - Thanx For Being You - And All The Best Wishes To You And Your Tribe - The World NEEDS More Wendys - OxoxoxO

    Cheers

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  7. Merry Christmas.

    You know I am looking at real races. Signed up for one in Fla and one local. Not sure I will do the Fla one or if it will even happen. But it's exciting to race again. And actually train and not just get out a do a few miles.

    Of course, I gifted myself. And I may gift myself more lol

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  8. Lol'd at the "bring on more tracking devices" with runners and the microchip. I saw a meme that said something like "you can shove an iPad up my ass if it means we're free of pandemic quarantining!" and I couldn't agree more.

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  9. I don't really use Strava but I was perplexed when people started posting their end of year stats last week considering we still had 2 more weeks left in 2020!

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    1. Goodreads did the same thing with books. I was like, um, I'm still reading until the 31st!

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  10. I confess. I've got a vanity plate: OLDRUNR. Just in case all the race distance stickers on my bumper don't give enough clues.
    Happy holidays, and hope to see you at a local race sometime next year.

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    1. Now that's a vanity plate I can get my head around! Yes, hope to see you too!

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  11. Ah, you know you want to sign up for the Ice Age 50k in May! There is nothing to lose: if the live race happens, you win. If it doesn't, you've had some good ultra training.
    With a deferral to 2022, you wouldn't lose any money, either.
    The only risk is that they would go virtual, argh!

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    1. Exactly, which is why I think I'll just do the half and wait until next year to get in the 50k.

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  12. I have to runfess that I don't take notice to license plates while on the run. Most of my runs are on the trail where there are no cars anyway. That's so exciting to think there will be some races in 2021 and some sense of normalcy. I hope you are able to make it to Florida to run ( if it is safe enough there)! -M

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  13. Yep..there may have been some running shoes (received) and a funky bike jersey (yet to arrive LOL), all courtesy of yours truly. And the hubs and I have a race booked in Omaha in March. Onward!!!

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    1. You're not letting anything stop you, apparently! I'm not booking anything distant--I'm not wanting to throw any more money away.

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  14. I wasn't going to buy myself anything but something I bought for my sister got lost in the mail, so the company sent me a replacement. Then the original item showed up three weeks late. The company figured it out and wanted me to send it back, but I runfess that facing the post office again was just too much and it was cute so I kept it for myself and paid for it.

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    1. Yeah, the post office is a joke this year. 2-day priority mail? Not so much. Still waiting for a gift to be delivered to a friend that I mailed 2 weeks ago.

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