A shocking fact you may not know about me:

I hate running.

I know that’s a news flash to all of you, but it’s the truth. Whenever I move faster than a quick walk, I transform into this:

A hippo on a treadmill…working my butt off, yet getting nowhere…fast. You may now call me Helga the Hippo.

My supposed work out today looked like this:
3 mile run
3 x {2:00, 2:30} Aerobic Intervals
2 mile run

This is what I ended up doing:
3 mile run (9:57, 10:04, 9:41)
5 x 400 meters, faster than 2 minutes
…That’s it…

Here’s another tidbit of information for you: I hate sprint work. Surprising, I know.

I realize that is NOT what I was SUPPOSED to do, but whatever, I know I’m already going to ‘training plan hell’ by not following the rules. I always make up for lost mileage later in the week, so I dont feel quite as bad. But ya know what, I just did not want to run those last two miles and I forgot to drink my HTFU juice this morning, so there. But I still felt good after the workout.

On another note and getting my soapbox back out….

I know there is always controversy surrounding cars and bikers in the summer, in our annual war of the road, but let’s leave the war on the road and not bring it to the sidewalk or crosswalks.

Today I was biking, minding my own business and was actually on the sidewalk. I stopped at a cross walk (cause the light was red and my mom taught me that red means actually stop, and not rolling, but that’s a different story), to wait for the light to turn green and the little walk guy to tell me to go.

Up rolls this truck and while making blatant eye contact he pulls out and completely blocks the cross walk! This wasn’t an intersection where I could just bike in front or behind him, since there was a median on the other side, which made me more pissed, I had to bike ALL THE WAY AROUND THE MEDIAN! Now, while the extra exercise does the body good, I was just pissed about the principle of the matter.

So here is an ‘open’ letter to all asshole cars that look at me when they pull out in front of me blocking my crosswalk (cause this is NOT the first time it’s happened):

I feel the need to tell you that I’m not afraid to take one for the team.
I feel the need to tell you that I’m not afraid of you or your car, especially when you’re stopped.
I feel the need to tell you that in this case the law would be on my side (that’s what the white lines are for!).
I feel the need to tell you that your car is worth more than my bike (or at least a door is)
I feel the need to tell you that I’m not a small person.
I feel the need to tell you that I’m a stubborn person who will go to great lengths to prove a point.

Let’s add this up:

Your car (blocking my crosswalk) + my inexpensive bike + my bodyweight + plus some speed (but not a lot) + the law on my side + my stubbornness = me biking in the cross walk when I have a green light and ‘not’ seeing your car = damage to your car for sure (amount undetermined) = probably some minor injuries to me = maybe a new bike for me = you in trouble for blocking my crosswalk.

Let’s try to not let that happen.
Thanks,
Helga the Hippo

Wow, can you tell I haven’t had the best day?

On a more positive note…I really want this dog…he’s awesome!

Hope your day is better than mine and bike safely….there are crazy drivers and stoppers out there.