So, True Story....

For the record all my stories here are true.....but this one I felt the need to preface with the fact that it is, indeed, true.

On Tuesday I went for a mailbox fartlek. You know, where you sprint between every other mailbox...fast fast fast....hit a mailbox then slow, next mailbox fast fast fast....next mailbox slow. And so on throughout the entire neighborhood. Next time I will be sure to count the mailboxes and let you know how many there are. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, Mailbox Fartleking....the first notable incident was at the bus stop. Let me clarify, the High School bus stop. This bus stop is for the High School kids, about 12 or 13 all together. They were gaggling around the stop sign when I came loping by (that would be during my slow spell). I was suddenly aware of the fact that 26 eyeballs were on me...I felt weird. Insecure. Almost like I was in High School again. GAG! Shoot me now....I felt myself tighten up and my shoulders lift. I noticed my chin come up and suddenly I took a sharp left to avoid running past them. As I ran down the opposite way I found myself hoping the bus would come and get those brats before I had to run back by....and it did. Shew!

What's up with that??? Why was I suddenly so worried and self conscious about a bunch of pimply faced 15, 16 and a poor unfortunate, bus-riding 17 or 18 year old? Who cares anyway? They should be so lucky to be as awesome as me when they are 33.

Secondly, I ran up on a dead possum. It was just laying there. In the middle of the neighborhood road. At first I thought, "Yeah. Play dead you stupid possum. In the middle of the road. I'm on to you." And I expected it to jump up and run away....then I got closer and realized it was not going anywhere. Ewey gooooooooey. It was so gross I almost...almost called it quits and turned around and headed home. But I carried on and pretended I did not just see that.

Third, I was heading up the farthest back street in my neighborhood, not far from the bus stop. There is a part that is completely wooded, no houses, no nothing except for a small 2x4 that spans the deep ditch to allow easy access into the woods. There, in the woods was a teenager. A school-skipping, bus-missing, cigarette-smoking, emo teenager who stared at me. I couldn't help but laugh. What was he going to do all day? There in the woods by himself? Then I quickly realized I most likely did NOT want to know the answer to that....

Anyway, then... I finished my run and came in the house. I decided to do a quick plank. I've not really jumped on the whole plank bandwagon. First of all, I don't do bandwagons. Second what good could a plank possibly do? So there I was, in my room, doing a 20 second plank. I thought, "Yeah, this is a little tough." I came down to relax and thought, "Meh...I'll do another. See what all the hooplah is about." So I did a second 20 second plank.  I went about my morning, got ready and headed to work.  By mid day I noticed my upper middle back was sore. I didn't think much of it. Then come Wednesday it was still sore...I thought, "What the heck, what did I do to make my back sore?" Then it hit me! The planks!!! And today, three days later, my back is still sore! Whoa.

So, moral of the story is planks actually do DO something! Who'd a thunk it? I have a hoodlum teenager who likes to skip school and sit in the woods in my neighborhood. Teenagers at the bus stop make me self-conscious....and dead possums are disgusting.

So what have you seen on your run lately?