Thursday, March 30, 2023

Iconic Runfessions

After all these years of blogging and runfessing, you'd think I'd run out of things to runfess. Shouldn't I have my act together by now? Well, what can I say? Thank you to Marcia for opening the runfessional every month and letting us clear our soles and souls.  I always say it's painless, save for the embarrassment of sharing things that I probably shouldn't. But isn't that what runfessing is all about? Am I the only one? Probably not. You know you have things to share too...

Let's get to it!

I runfess... earlier this month, when I was running in California I saw this structure being installed at the trailhead. I hoped it was going to be a bathroom. Because I needed one that morning! No such luck and I had to find a bush to do my business. Like you've never done that. BTW, I later found out that the structure was part of an art installation

I runfess... that I had all but forgotten about the InknBurn tops I listed on eBay until I recently received notification that one had sold! A few years ago, I started to purge my InB collection of tops. I had no problem selling them until InB decided to go out of business. After that, the few I had left apparently stayed listed. I also have some skirts. I'm keeping the shorts and the fleece pullovers. But if anyone is interested in my inventory, let me know!

an oldie but a goodie

I runfess... that when Brooks asked me to participate in a photo shoot at a running store in Chicago, I didn't hesitate to say yes! I had to take a day off work and told them I had an appointment. I mean, it was the truth, right? I did feel a little twinge of guilt when our office manager told me she hoped everything was ok.

I runfess... a couple of the niggles I've talked about over the past year have all reappeared at once. The shoulder impingement has turned into more of an "-itis", meaning it's achy no matter what I do. The kneecap is angry again after a particularly treacherous trail run in Wisconsin a few weeks ago. And a mild ankle sprain that I incurred in California when I tripped on a rock keeps reminding me that it is still unhappy. Nothing serious, just all annoying.


I runfess...
that after my long run last Sunday, I emptied my trusty handheld water bottle and noticed that the inside was covered with...MOLD. Ok, full disclosure, I never wash it out. It's filled with water and I let it air dry every time I use it. Wouldn't you? I wonder how long it's been like that? I should probably just throw it out, but I've been using it for years. I feel like there's a lot of good juju in this bottle--or maybe it's the mold that's powered me all these years? 


What do you have to runfess? Have you ever had to make a pit stop in a bush? Do you still have any Inknburn gear? Have you ever taken a personal day at work and given a vague reason? Is anyone else nursing ignoring your body's warning signs? Would you keep or toss the moldy water bottle? 

I'm linking up with Marcia for Runfessions and with the ladies of Fit Five Friday: DarleneMichelle, Jenn, and Zenaida.

27 comments :

  1. I don't wash out my handhelds either. I also frequently forget about them and whatever water is left can seomtimes sit there until the next run . . .but so far no mold, thankfully.

    I don't know where my kneecap twinge (because it wasn't pain) came from! That is SO annoying. I'm so sorry that all of yours have returned at once. That really sucks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It could be worse--they could be keeping me from running! Instead, I do my PT exercises and keep things quiet.

      Delete
  2. Sorry about all the "twinges". I really wish they could design water bottles...especially the caps...so they were easier to clean. I do clean mine but I feel like I still can't get to spots the way I should. Yikes on the mold! I do like that art!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are all kinds of 'pieces' in this installation, all over the area!

      Delete
  3. I love it when I get a notice from Poshmark that something sold. Seems to come in waves oddly! I put my water bottles in the dishwasher-they kind of gross me out to begin with and I am a germophobe w reuseable bottle. Hope those little niggles go away!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I can so relate to that red flag meme! Sorry about the twinges - I'm starting to wonder if I have entered that phase of life where they are just part of my daily deal.

    I still have some InB gear - some of their fleece pullovers are still some of my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, I'm glad you didn't use the art installation as a bathroom. And I'm laughing at the red flag meme- yes, i'm wearing that scarf right now as well!
    When I request a day off I rarely give the specific reason. Like I had to get April 22 off to run my race- I did NOT say I was running a 50k that day (that wouldn't have been met with blank stares.) I also usually request off for Marathon Monday to watch the Boston marathon, and once again I never give the actual reason. Oh, and another good one is, I always request December 23rd off but I don't give the real reason, which is that our family celebrates Festivus. So in other words, no one at work knows how weird I actually am!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha because everyone at work knows how weird I am already! I mean, because I am a runner and that is enough for me.

      Delete
  6. Could you imagine using the art installation as a bathroom?? Yes, I've had to use a bush before. It's no fun. I was always too nervous to buy any InB gear - I wasn't sure how it would fit and their sales model stressed me out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was an ambassador, so i had a lot of the gear. I liked how they did business. But the way they went out of business felt very sketchy.

      Delete
  7. We struggle with water bottles in Hawaii - they never get completely dry. We think Les picked up some bacteria at one time (his poor GI!) so now we're very careful. When I replaced my worn out dishwasher a few years ago I got a GE model that has water bottle jets - it can clean up to 4 and I've been really impressed with that.
    One runfession - I have never been more ready for Spring! It was 40 when I got up this morning on the last day of March! I know I'm spoiled but I really miss sunshine. (I'll need to be reminded of this when I'm complaining about the heat in July.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Water bottle jets? I need to make sure our next dishwasher has that.

      Lack of sunshine? Don't live here. lol

      Delete
  8. Of course I've had to make a pit stop behind a bush before. Can I really call myself a runner if I haven't? ;-)

    The top on my Nathan water bottle occasionally smells moldy so I wash it with a little bit of bleach water. Now I need to check the inside of all of my water bottles...

    ReplyDelete
  9. My drinks bottles regularly go mouldy but that's because I have squash or tailwind in them. Every now and again I go through them all, turn the caps inside out, scrub them etc. My big metal water bottle got a weird spot right at the bottom but I stuck it upside down in the dishwasher and it seems OK now ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm afraid to put my metal bottles in my dishwasher! But they also have stickers on them, so there's that.

      Delete
  10. I use the soft flasks from Solomon. I put the caps in the dishwasher but not the flasks themselves as I think it will ruin them. But my hand wash with dish soap probably isn't doing the trick either.... I guess I've got mold in there, too!! Yuck!
    The knee and ankle issues will surely disappear soon... but that shoulder thing seems to be persistent. Are you still doing your PT stretches?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Like it's my job! I'm sure it doesn't help that I carry my handheld on that side. I try switching hands on my long runs but I need to be better about it.

      Delete
  11. Nope on washing my water bottles.. maybe I should take a look.
    Um how many times have I had to take a sick day for a race-cation????
    Hope your aches and pains disappear but as you said, you can run so there's that.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I bottle-fess that I use (and re-use) Gatorade bottles sometimes and just toss/replace the caps when they get suspicious-looking. The bottles are pretty easy to keep clean, but the caps are a nightmare...and are probably not designed to be reused, LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I learned the hard way to wash my bottles. I use one of those small brushes to clean them. InknBurn had great tops; I loved their designs!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I learned the hard way to wash my bottles. I use one of those small brushes to clean them. InknBurn had great tops; I loved their designs!

    ReplyDelete