Stuff that Bugs, the Running Edition

This weekend I ran 14 miles.

I haven't run more than 13.1 miles since I was 29 and training for a marathon. Now I'm 39 and training for a marathon again, and so far (knocking on wood, tossing salt over my shoulder, crossing my fingers and wondering if there's any other superstitious, supposed-to-bring-you-good-luck cliches I could rely on) I have not been derailed by ITB pain. (The amazing collection of blisters on my bunions are an entirely other story, but I refuse, refuse to be derailed by blisters.)

But seriously: 14 miles is a long time to run. And about a third the way through, I don't know what happened, but my music started bugging me, so I turned it off and ran six entire more miles without any tunes at all. I thought about all sorts of things while I ran sans music, but this list of Stuff that Bugs Me When I'm Running is just begging to be blogged about.

• Dogs. Specifically: dogs that spring up out of nowhere and start running and barking next to me, on the other side of the fence. This startles me every single time, causing me to flail my arms in surprise and look like a complete moron.
• Red lights. It doesn't matter how I try to time it, I nearly always arrive at an intersection just as the light turns red. And as I don't like to stop moving once I've started, I continue jogging in place, probably looking (again!) like a complete moron. Listen, I know that traffic lights are a necessity. But couldn't the Running Gods let me catch a break for at least half of them? What are the odds that I  always  hit the red ones?
• Construction. Lately I think about half my planned routes have been forced onto detours for construction projects. A few weeks ago I ran through one anyway because there was no other option (turning around and going back home is never an option), and seriously: my life flashed before my eyes more than once. I wish MAPMYRUN had an "avoid construction" on its mapping tools. Plus, there's the fact that in addition to the deathly stuff like giant pot holes, innumerable construction cones to avoid, and construction vehicles flinging around gravel and enormous pipes and big cement things, occassionally those construction workers shout rude comments at me.
• Hecklers. Yes, polite young man, I know I need to keep on chuggin'. What I *don't* know is how all you seemingly-unrelated hecklers know to shout such similar things?
• Trees and bushes. Specifically the ones that home owners have allowed to grow so low or wide that I have to detour around them.
• Walkers. Now, wait a second. I have nothing against people who walk for exercise. BUT! When there are more than two of them, and they're walking abreast on a fairly-crowded paved trail, they tend to take up the entire width of the trail. I wish they'd pay more attention to the people trying to pass them.
• Walkers with dogs on a leash. Or anyone  with a dogs on a leash, for that matter. Because as soon as I try to pass the dog, it always seems to chase after me, either startling me or getting tangled in my feet. I really don't want to be knocked out of my running season by someone's dog.
• Drivers who don't pay attention. (Wait! Yes, you're right: I have blogged about this before.) I think the worst ones are people turning right. I just always assume that drivers don't see me, just to be safe. Still: pay attention people!
• Sprinklers. The ones that are watering sidewalks and/or driveways. Honestly: this bugs me whenever I see it, but you do tend to notice it more when you're running through neighborhoods. There are numerous sprinklers that need to be readjusted. We do live in a desert after all.
• Sunscreen. Eleven miles seems to be the limit for sunscreen to not drip in my eyes. After that, it dissolves and starts careening down my face, right into my eyeballs. It stings.
• Exhaustion. I'm starting to get nervous, because honestly: those last two miles? I was tired. Will I really be able to build up enough endurance to run this race?

And yeah, OK: I know that this list makes me sound whiny. For all that, I really did love last week's long run, and I'm looking forward to this week's, too. Just to prove it, I'll tell you something that doesn't annoy me. In fact, I'm downright grateful for:

• Public parks with functional drinking fountains and an unlocked bathroom.

Because training schedule or no training schedule, running 14 miles with a slight-disturbed tummy probably wasn't one of my brightest ideas.

What bugs you when you exercise? Come on, you can tell me! Even (especially?) if it's something snarky.

Comments

[Becky K]

I HATE stop lights. I jaywalked yesterday and then made a bunch of cars who watched me jaywalk wait for me.

Chafing.

Heat.

Lack of trees in my area of town.

Chafing

(Good job on 14. You are my hero.)

[Jenna]

We have few sidewalks & even fewer shoulders on our roads, so my list of annoyances has to start with South Carolina roads. Chafing. The runners runs (diarrhea over 6 miles every time). Heat & humidity. Running in the summer in general. No toilet paper in the bathrooms. No bathrooms where I need them.

I have committed to running a half marathon in the fall and maybe perhaps imaginably weather-permitting (big maybe) a full in March in Washington DC.

[Jenna]

Toenails - or the lack of them! And blisters.

[cris]

Knee pain ---- chronic, never ending, unfixible knee pain. Still I am determined.... sore, but determined. Have committed to a marathon in the end of Jan and I am determined to make it through!

[Wendy]

Sadly - everything bugs me about exercise (except if I could find a pool to swim laps in). I still force myself, but I never really enjoy it until I know that it is over!