The first has really nothing to do with running or riding or sports in general. Merely something that irks me. It has to do with Craigslist and how people conduct themselves in terms of responding to emails from me and coming to look at items I have for sale. I feel some examples would better illustrate this:
I have a tent-like shelter on Craigslist at the moment that I bought but turns out is too big in my backyard (long story). I have it on there for $225 which is a very good price as the size is 12'x 12' and Canadian Tire sells the same type of shelter that is 10' x 10' for $230. The day after I put it on someone emails me to say they have $150 cash, would I take that? Choked I emailed back a simple, "Nope". It's like putting your car on there for $8000 and someone, sight unseen, asking if you'd sell it for $5000. I had another person this past weekend email and say they were 'very interested' and could they come look at it on Saturday or Sunday. I called and talked to them and we agreed Sunday at 11:30 would work. 11:30 came and went as did the rest of the day with no word from them. Now, in this day and age of instant electronic messaging and cell phones, how hard is it to AT LEAST email and lie if necessary to say you can't come and look at it. Just say, "We can't make it today, will have to re-schedule". That took three seconds to type. It's not like I put my whole day on hold but I did hang around until 12:30 to be sure. It's that kind of inconsideration (inconsiderateness? non-consideration? you get the idea) that drives me crazy. I've never done that to someone. My other example is when you email someone and ask if a certain item is still for sale and they don't respond one way or the other. I emailed a guy about a winter bike for me - cheap, winter transportation, $5-600 - and never received a response. The next day I emailed again asking to please just let me know if he still had it. Literally two minutes later I got my answer: "Sold" was the one word answer. Now would that have been so hard to do after my first email? In-con-siderate. No respect.
Rant #2: Riding my bike to work in the dark, getting no respect from drivers.
Okay, I'm lit up like a Christmas tree on my bike when I ride to work at 6 in the morning in the dark. I know drivers can see me because on longer stretches of road, especially with no cars coming the other way, most cars give me a wide berth, pretty much going in the whole opposite lane to get around me. They can see me because I have three red blinky lights on my backpack, one on my helmet, and three on my bike. On the front I have two white lights on my forks, one on my helmet, and a huge, 900 lumens, sun-like light as my main headlight. So when on a stretch of road with no cars oncoming, I have to question a driver's common sense when they don't even give me one extra inch of room almost like they didn't see me. Then there are those idiots who, at any time of day or night, will still pass me on a narrow stretch of road or a curve when there is oncoming traffic. There is no way for them to give me room and are forced to get a little too friendly. I hope more drivers pay attention to the many "Share the Road" signs that have been put up in the Lower Mainland lately.
Whew, I feel better already. So what's been going on the last three weeks? I started my program of walking/running a little after the New Year. I did the first two weeks running every second day in the trails wearing my fivefingers shoes and when I couldn't make it outside I was on the treadmill in racing flats. After these two weeks I noticed similar sensations in my left foot like when I had my stress fracture last year. I switched to my regular trail shoes and that seemed a bit better. I've kept running and it hasn't got any worse, though the feeling is still there. I did my first road run on Monday since Gibraltar on Nov. 7th. A whole 4.25 miles at 7:00/mile pace. I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said I wasn't sore yesterday with the quads and IT bands complaining the most. I'm going to try and add ten minutes to every second run up until about an hour then I'll figure out a plan from there if I'm not wrecked again. On the up side my biking is feeling phenomenal. I've been doing nearly hour rides to work then the usual thirty-five minute trips home every day and with the hills I'm feeling pretty strong. Throw in a two hour ride on the days off as well. The goal is to do overnight up and back trips to Whistler and maybe Penticton this summer. Throw in a few Mt. Baker rides and life is good.
