A Saturday Off

It's rare that I get a Saturday off. Especially when it's sunny, with wide blue skies and about 75F out. A perfect day for a bike ride...

But it's not completely off -- I did volunteer at the 5K affiliated with tomorrow's races. I help with this race each year because it's inspiring. Many runners are doing their first 5K. Some are sprinting by and others walking. All ages, shapes, abilities with the common goal of completing a 3.1 mile race, some of whom trained for weeks to do this. Inspiring.

Unfortunately, I did not get to see the runners much this year. Thanks to the j^cka$$es in their cars trying to drive through the race course. Yup, they see runners and they salivate at the thought of mowing them down. OK, so I'm kidding, but not by much. Another club member and I ended up at barricades that shut a road down. This wasn't my first morning volunteering, so I've been screamed at and cussed out before, fists waving, eyes rolling, and more. All as if I woke up this morning and set out on a personal vendetta to ruin their day. Makes me want to ask what they're doing in the afternoon, so I can be there to ruin that too.

But there were 3 cars in particular that made my day. One was a Park Ranger, of all people, who verbally attacked my club mate for blocking the roads. If there was anyone who should have got the memo, it was her. Then there was the guy who hit the barricades with his vehicle after all screaming at my friend. Couldn't tell if he was so mad he couldn't see to drive, or if he intended to really push the barricades over. After seeing the problems, I left my post to help him out.

Which leaves Mr "I'm a Physician", who actually got out of his car and started moving the barricades himself!! I put them back, and he'd move another, pushing against me with the barricades. We played this game for a minute or two at which point he decided to get in my face--literally--and start telling me that I have no authority, no right, and no way to stop him from going through. I offered to call a Ranger for him to talk to. At this Mr "I'm so Important" backed off a little, but kept yelling and gesturing. A quick call requesting some help (and a small prayer that the female Ranger from earlier wouldn't answer the call) and then a wait, during which my friend asked that I get out from in front of the vehicle. It seemed for a few seconds that he was going to drive through!! Soon enough the Rangers came with lights on but by that time Mr "I'm a Coward" had driven off.

Buddy, Jerk, Coward, A$$hole, whatever you deserve to be called, I had more important things to do that morning than fight with you over a 1 mile detour you needed to take. There were 2000 people who woke up that morning to achieve a goal of completing a 5K. Among them a woman too dehydrated to finish and in need of medical attention. A small boy separated from his parents who broke down in tears at my post. Those are the people I needed to be with, not you and your sh!t-headed attitude.

In the end, you just have to ignore people like that. But it scares me to think that such easily enraged idiots are out there at any time.

So for the rest of the day, I rest. Off the feet as much as possible, with plenty of fluids and good food. I was trying to remember yesterday how I felt before my first marathon 2 years ago. I remember feeling sick from "carbo loading", nervous that I would lose the mental tenacity to finish, and worried that I'd get sick on the course. I learned so much in that race, and right now looking ahead to tomorrow I'm calm but anxious. Looking forward to getting this one out of the way so I can take advantage of the time gained from not having to run so much.

And hopefully Mr "I'm a Pinhead" won't be out for a drive tomorrow.