Enter Sophia, and I still look forward to my runs, but find them to be significantly less centering. If anything, going for a run with Sophia gets my mind going faster, and sometimes turns me into an angry runner.
Pre-Sophia (hereafter referred to as PS) I used to jay-run across the road when I wasn't supposed to, run on the wrong side of the road, and miscellaneous other mildly dangerous things when running. No more.
Now when I have her in the jogger, I am a hyper-vigilant uber-law abiding citizen. I stop running and wait for the sign to say to cross before touching toe into the road. I head for the crosswalk even if it is out of my way, and I NEVER run on the wrong side of the road.
I also notice a lot more dangerous behavior on the part of drivers. PS I might have ignored the occasional driver that almost run me over, or didn't move over when driving past me, or the obnoxious whistle out the window.
But as I said, now I am an angry runner. In the past twelve months of running with Sophia in the jogger, I have yelled at drivers turning right on red without making sure the crosswalk is empty, I have yelled at drivers that didn't come to a full stop at a stop sign, and I have yelled at drivers who pulled all the way up onto the crosswalk at a red light so that we had to go around them. Definitely an angry runner.
Then today, the biggest angry runner moment of them all.
Sophia and I dropped the car off at Pep Boys and then headed toward home, with a quick stop at the bank planned. We needed to cross the road into the bank parking lot, so headed for the crosswalk. A car was stopped on our side of the road, and truck on the other. The car was of course stopped on top of the crosswalk, but we were able to head across it on the little bit of space left.
Until for whatever reason the car decided to step on the gas when we were still starting to cross and in front of her passenger side, requiring me to throw the jogger to the side. If I hadn't moved the jogger, she absolutely would have hit Sophia. Of course I yelled "HEY!" at the same time, and she slammed the brakes back on.
I was so spitting mad I turned back when we were across, saw her window was slightly open, and yelled "THERE'S A KID IN HERE, AND THAT'S A CROSSWALK!!!" I saw her lips move in an "I know, I know." In hindsight, I know she really was shocked, but how about stopping before (not on) the crosswalk, and then looking both ways?
Sophia and I headed into the bank, and I saw the woman complete her turn into the bank parking lot, but I never did see her come in. I guess I was a bit fearsome, and she didn't want to be at the receiving end of that Mama-wrath. She would have gotten more of it, too, 'cause I was some angry for a while.
Fortunately, I am able to head out the door by myself on the weekend when John is home. Then I can have a PS non-angry run and enjoy this beautiful fall we are having. I am already looking forward to Saturday's run. Perhaps I will run on the wrong side of the road, just for a little bit . . .
Drive vigilant, people, and remember to look both ways.
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