Starting Anew.....

Sooooo, I'm no longer 39.  Nope, I'm 45.

Starting over is not exactly what I'm doing.  Instead, I prefer to think I'm starting anew.  I realize speed is an issue; hills just about destroy any pacing I even thought of having.  However, getting a run in means less couch sitting and guilt.  My goal is to stay in my clothing and not purchase new pieces because I can no longer button them.  To my utter disgust, I discovered something while out on runs the past week...catcalls have nothing to do with age, speed, or condition.

I couldn't believe it.  My grey-haired, ponytailed, middle-aged self  received CATCALLS.  Wait....WHAT?!  Yup.  From late-teen-to-mid-twenty-year-old "men".  These souls took up residence outside of one of Dover's local day labor sites, 2-liter bottles of Coke and cigs in hard, slouching and trying to look "cool".  These "men" took up the entire sidewalk regardless of those attempting to walk by.   Car doors open over the sidewalk with work boots sprawled in the faces of passersby.  Catcalling.

You.  Have.  Got.  To.  Be.  Kidding.  All I wanted to do was finish my run.  Dover is made of hills - all hills in all directions.   No matter how carefully a route is planned,  runners will encounter numerous hills, as I did knew I would find on my last mile towards home.  The last thing I needed was to be insulted by oversized children while sweaty, red, and panting.

I called out, "Good morning - excuse me!", as I went by.  Sounds polite enough, right?  I am now the proud recipient of jeers and yelling.  Seriously?!

So go around, yes?  No.  I live here and this is my most direct route home.

Go at a different time?  No.  The time I chose to run is the time that works best in my day.

Ignore them?  Not gonna happen.  One of my favorite quotes from Fried Green Tomatoes states, "I'm older and I have more insurance."  So, I'm taking my frustration to the blogosphere.

Note to those standing in line - please do the following to make life easier for those sharing the sidewalk:

1. Stand closer to the door of the establishment you're using.  
2. You have the right to smoke; I also have the right to breathe.  Don't blow smoke at me.
3. Keep your opinions to yourselves.  You don't look cool, you look uneducated, particularly when you insult me with poor grammar.
4. If someone says, "Good morning!", a simple nod will suffice.  At least pretend to be polite and who knows, your own day might improve.

On the flip side, as I ran past the other day labor site, the men sitting outside that establishment nodded and smiled at me, obviously thinking, "Crazy woman!"  However, they kept their thoughts to themselves.  Why, perhaps?  Dunks is directly across the street - caffeine makes early morning better.