Am I a Race T Shirt Bully?

The other night at church, my bride told me she saw several people wearing the 2012 St Jude Marathon race shirt while she was walking the halls. For some reason, I always think that there is some kindred bond that we have when I see someone wearing a shirt of a race that we ran together. A marathon shirt none the less is extra special, because I know the time, effort and pain that can go into a marathon.

So my question to my bride was "who was it? Did you know him?" She then proceeded to name a few guys I knew that ran the race, but then she said this, and I am going to paraphrase. There was one guy I asked about it and he said that he did not run the race, his dad works for the race and he got a lot of free shirts. Automatically, I immediately turn into these guys:



Yes, I turn into Cedric and Bob when I see some wearing a race shirt they did not run (unless it is a spouse, they put up with the other spouse training, so they get a pass) or if I see someone wearing the race shirt prior to finishing the race. Call me superstitious if you want, but you won't catch me in that position!

So, as we were leaving church the guy was walking out right in front of us. My bride nudged me and said "That's the guy, that's the guy who is wearing the shirt who did not run the race!" So I wanted to walk up to him and say in my best Hispanic accent:

 So, are you the guy who is wearing the shirt without running the race?  Are you going to run the race in order to wear the shirt? I wear the shirt and I ran the race. He ran the race and he is wearing the shirt, we are all wearing the shirts and we all ran the race, so why aren't you going to run the race? I guess we are just going to have to teach him to run the race if he wants to wear the shirt!

But, I didn't. I mean, Yeah, it does bug me to see people wearing race shirts they did not run, or to see people wearing the race shirt before they actually finish the race, but it is a personal hang up of mine. My bride gets on to me because I will not donate race shirts to the needy because they did not run the race and earn the shirts! Maybe this is something I will back off of one day, and maybe I am just kidding about all this!(Not really)  Honestly, I am getting so many that I try to give them to my wife to wear, because let's be real, after about 4-5 years of racing, most shirts do not mean as much to me, and I only wear certain ones. I do like to start up a conversation with people if I see they have the same shirt on though!

So, what is your stand on race shirts and people wearing them before a race or wearing them when they did not run the race? Are you a race t-shirt bully like me?

You've Been Put on Notice...

Everyday that I go running at a very rapid pace on a certain route, I encounter the same problem, day after day, and I am fed up with it. When I run, I am just minding my business, not making eye contact, staying out of everyones way, but still they decide to mess with me and I am sick of it. It has gotten to the point that I am altering my routes because of this and it is messing up my mileage.

A little background:

About a mile from my humble abode, where we try to live peaceably, pay our taxes, raise our children and be environmentally conscience is a nice pond/walking/running trail. We used to take the kids there when they were younger to feed the ducks and to go fishing. Ahh, we have great memories there. Around the pond is a walking track . On a hot day, the wind will come off the water and provide a nice cool breeze. The entire track is approximately 1/3 mile, but it works in well with my route that I do and is a very vital part of it.

But every Spring/early summer, they think they own the place. I have tried to be the more mature person and not let it get to me, I try, really try to stay out of peoples way and to myself, but they won't let me just run by. It always ends up in a chase,  it's not always an interval day people, I do not like being chased away from the track. I have as much right to be there as they do, maybe more in fact. I feel like I am being bullied.

But NO MORE. I am going to stand up to this hideous creature who thinks they own the pond and walking track. I am taking it back. I am just not sure how to do it. I am not a violent guy by nature, but if you keep poking the bear, the bear is going to wake up. So let me put them on notice:

Yes, my mortal enemy is a stupid goose. I hate this thing and I am certain it is the same dang goose every time, but I can't be sure cause they do all look alike and sound alike, and what is with all the hissing???  What is that all about? And I won;t even get into how they crap all over the place, I mean ALL.OVER. THE. PLACE.  I get that is is just trying to protect its babies, or whatever little geese are called, but honestly, I don't even see any little geese around when he starts chasing me. I think it is just an old cranky bully of a goose. This goose is looking for a fight. I am sure that I am not the only one he is after, but he messed with the wrong runner/triathlete!

So what are my options? A loaded .380 pistol. How do you beat up a goose? I have seen tons of videos with geese chasing people and everyone just laughs and laughs at it, well, I don't find that crap funny. It is time we stand up to the gooses all across this country. It is time for the goose to start running from us. So, I googled "How to fight a goose" and it came back with over 21,000 results! So I am not the only one looking into this, I am just the only one willing to blog about it, last time I checked a goose can;t read a blog! So, no...I am not afraid.

So here is the best advice I found on fighting a goose was on a bodybuilding forum. You can use it if you want:



No, this is not me, it's my hair is longer

They can hit pretty hard with their beaks. Just remember to maintain eye contact. That is probably the most important rule when facing down a goose (or any number of them, they like to fight in packs.) Also another important strategy is to spread your lats out, this will intimidate them. If the challenge is accepted the goose will spread its wings out as a sign to commence battle. The best way to start off the fight is to run straight at it and flap your arms while still spreading your lats (hard to do, but easily accomplished with a few weeks training.) The goose will either be scared off at this point, or ready to take you on. If the latter is true, prepare for a long fight because once a goose decided to attack, he's in it to win it.

Wait, what?  Spread my lats??  I am a triathlete, I have no lats! I was looking for something like, squirt them with water, or yell really loud and scare them away! I really do not want them to accept the challenge, I just want to run by them, that's all! I mean I was the guy that fed you ungrateful fowl creatures geese. Show me some love!  Or I will have to start working on my lats!

Have you ever encountered a problem animal in your training on more than one occasion??