Good idea.

A friend of mine told me most runners take some cash with them also. So they can stop and get a bite to eat, or to catch a bus/cab ride home if they find they ran too far away. (He has used it multiple times.) Which was an epiphany for me. I can STOP? And get something to EAT or drink in a STORE?? And still call it a run?

:-) You are a "real" runner!
I have considered a roadID, but I haven't gotten to it yet. At least I have my cell phone.
Kathleen-I know exactly what you mean! I ran into a gas station to use the bathroom. Lo and behold! An oasis! The water fountain! LOL!

Good idea.

A friend of mine told me most runners take some cash with them also. So they can stop and get a bite to eat, or to catch a bus/cab ride home if they find they ran too far away. (He has used it multiple times.) Which was an epiphany for me. I can STOP? And get something to EAT or drink in a STORE?? And still call it a run?

Yes. This was a revelation for me when Kristin Armstrong kept mentioning getting coffee, etc. on long runs in Mile Markers. So, my 7 mile run was 2 miles to the trail, a potty/water break at the trail head, 3 miles on the trail, another drink and 2 miles home. and, no, Endomondo wasn't recording my distance correctly. I just know the EXACT mileage from my house to the trail. One of these days, I'll swing around to the CVS and get a gatorade. I've also mapped out the distances to the day care, downtown Smyrna, etc.

Things that made me feel like a real runner:

- making a list of gifts I'd like and realizing that the list is entirely running clothes (and a couple new food scales)
- swallowing bugs while running... and continuing to run while hacking up a lung! :laugh:
- waking up at 4:30am twice a week to run before work (I'm not a morning person and hate to wake up before 8 or 9)
- buying a pair of earbuds specifically to be worn ONLY while running/working out
- finally making the decision to run a 10k and half marathon (not signed up yet - gotta save LOTS of money for the half since I want it to be the Disney Princess one in FL and I live in the Chicago suburbs)

I stopped on the way home from work to pick up my race packet for tomorrow.

Guy: "Are you a runner or a walker?"
Me: "I'm a runner." <grins like a madwoman>

Enjoy tomorrow!

I stopped on the way home from work to pick up my race packet for tomorrow.

Guy: "Are you a runner or a walker?"
Me: "I'm a runner." <grins like a madwoman>

So exciting!!!! I'll be thinking of you! Go get that race!!! :-)

I had to laugh at the part about running too far and getting the bus home, I don't think I'll ever need to do that!

I know. I was thinking I don't need the cash. I can't get that far away. THAT will for SURE make me feel like a runner - or someone with Alzheimer's - he says sometimes he just runs and runs, and then he wonders how he got there. And it's too far to run back home.

Things that made me feel like a real runner:

- making a list of gifts I'd like and realizing that the list is entirely running clothes (and a couple new food scales)
- swallowing bugs while running... and continuing to run while hacking up a lung! :laugh:
- waking up at 4:30am twice a week to run before work (I'm not a morning person and hate to wake up before 8 or 9)
- buying a pair of earbuds specifically to be worn ONLY while running/working out
- finally making the decision to run a 10k and half marathon (not signed up yet - gotta save LOTS of money for the half since I want it to be the Disney Princess one in FL and I live in the Chicago suburbs)

Nice list! I'm finding a few things to add to my wish list. And I got the earbuds, too.

And I'm *always* washing and hanging my workout clothing up to dry. My guest room has become the permanent drying room. There are TWO very large drying racks in there, always full of high-tech fabric items.

Do you have some girlfriends you can go to Disney with and do a Girl's Weekend? A couple ladies in my running club are doing this. It sounds like fun.

My sister might do it with me, but we aren't sure. She's in school for nursing and the spring 2015 semester is going to be a really busy one for her so she probably can't miss class. Hopefully my boyfriend can come with to cheer me on and we can get a little vacation out of it too.

Race went great. Woke up feeling kind of "meh" but took some drugs & drank a lot of water & by race time I felt good to go. I was in with a fairly small group of slower runners and we were spread out pretty well, which was nice. Making myself run hills once a week paid off and I managed to pass several people going up the biggest hill on the course at about the halfway point which felt pretty sweet. My goal was 35 minutes. It wasn't chip timed but when I passed the clock it said 35:22. I also had my app going, which had me going 3.16 miles in 35:34.

Great job! Passing people just feels so... GOOD! Way to do it on an uphill!

I always worry about the identification thing, so I carry my driver's license in my fuel belt. I also have my phone and bus fare.

But here are my random things, that makes me feel like a "real" runner:


Getting excited about a new fuel belt , running shoes or running socks makes me feel like a real runner.

Planning new routes during my free time at work or sneaking out of work early just to get my run in makes me feel like a real runner

Looking for upcoming races and trying to decide which one's I should do, that's a sign I'm a runner

Having black toe and wearing sandals anyway, makes me feel like a runner.

I'm thinking about doing a tempo run playlist so that I get the more inspirational songs during the tempo part.

I need to upgrade my play list. Getting tired of the same few songs over & over again. There's an app where you can set your desired pace & it will play songs off your playlist that are appropriate, but my playlist is too small to make that worthwhile.

Try jog.FM it lists music by BPM, you can even play a clip of the music to see if it is something you would like.