What I learned about the birds and bees from Running

Met this 'not-so-friendly' guy and his buddy Saturday

I've learned a lot about life from running.  It's possible to run through pain.  Past a certain point, it really is mental. And Sally has noted that I really am 'Mental' for doing it.  Hmmmm...I think she is referring to another meaning of the word 'Mental'.

But I digress.  Running a marathon is a lot tougher than it seems on paper.  The half way point isn't actually at 13.1 miles as I learned in my one and only full marathon at Reggae Marathon in 2009.  

But it's what I've learned about running from the 'birds and bees' that's been most interesting.  And I've had altercations with both the birds and the bees.  Spoiler alert:  it's not about sex!

Years ago while running early morning through the trails along Grenadier Pond in High Park, Toronto I was attacked by a couple of birds.  Not quite like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' but disconcerting none the less.  The two birds went straight for my head.  Looking back it could have been that they were attracted by my ever so tiny (back then anyway) bald spot.  I've worn hats ever since.

Then this past Saturday morning the bees attacked.  OK, they were likely wasps or hornets but 'birds and wasps' doesn't sound quite right.  I was coming to the end of a really nice 60 minute run when I literally ran into two of these not-so-friendly little bastards.  One went directly to my left thigh while the other went...guess where...directly to my now much larger bald spot.  Both were successful in leaving me with their stingers.  Trooper that I am I only swore out loud a couple of times.  But I didn't break stride!

Maybe these birds and bees (wasps) were after a tasty Jamaican snack.  Or maybe they'd been watching the Olympics recently were looking for the secret sauce that allows Jamaican runners to run so quickly.  In any case I was not amused by either attack.  Alert to all birds and bees:  I will fight back! Pass it on to your friends.

Until next time...

ThatRunninGuy

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Follow me on Facebook at Run for Heart.  Races for 2012: Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 14, Reggae Marathon, December 1