Me and My Tire

Quick update on my running tire: a few days ago, it was stolen. That's right. Someone stole my running tire. And I know who it was, too. You see, I ran downtown with my tire, all the way up Broadway St., and to the Witte Museum, and the start of the Riverwalk Trail - a total of about 7 miles. Well, I left my precious carriage in an empty parking garage to run he Riverwalk Trail, with every intention of coming back to get my tire once I was done running the trail. And as I was leaving, I noticed a security guard parked in the empty garage. I even waved at the devil.

Well, when I returned, my tire was gone. Gone! My baby! I love my running tire! We have had some adventures. I know some people who say running with a tire is pointless. To them, I say fooey. I am a fan, and I always will be. I searched and searched for my running mate, but he was nowhere to be found.

On a dreary and rather depressing run the day after these tragic events unfolded, I spotted - what to my wondering eyes should appear! - a new tire! It was tossed outside someone's house like so much garbage. Can you imagine? I immediately called my friend Doug to help me pick up the thing. He drove over and helped me take it back to my place, where I fitted it with a rope. Now I have a new running friend: me and my tire.

Yet Another Crazy Running Story

I got spanked by someone on the track. Not figuratively; literally spanked! So, there I am, running, listening to my iPod, moseying along, when all of a sudden, I feel someone approaching fast behind me. I see their shadow on the pavement to the side of me, and they are really close to me. They are running after me! My first thought is, I am about to get mugged. Gerry, you're going to be killed! And you didn't even get to eat that delicious leftover spaghetti that is now sitting in your refrigerator. My fear of death was well-founded given the circumstances. Bear in mind, this all happened at night. And, although the area I was running in was well-lit and there were plenty of people around, you can never be sure when disaster will strike. Naturally, I panicked and without so much as a glance behind me to see my attacker, I started sprinting to leave the person behind. When I felt safe and out of reach, a thought occurred to me. Wait! This is a public track. There are other runners here. This person is probably just running and trying to pass me up. So, I slowed down. Just then, I heard the person sprint up behind me, and before I could even process the thought of my imminent, all-too-certain death, before I could even let out a scream of terror, I felt the person tap my ass. I whipped around to see a skinny blond girl giggling as she ran back to a car that was parked on the side of the road with it's passenger-side door already open for her to hop in. As the car took off, I could still hear the girl giggling furiously into the night. It took me a moment to realize what happened. I was spanked by a total stranger while running. A first for me. I wasn't sure how to feel about it all. All I could think to do was shrug it off and keep on going. Que sera, sera, no?