Dog Poop & Used Condoms...Running through OB

Ocean Beach is a little beach community in San Diego. It doesn't get the press that Pacific Beach does (with its bars and the "beach party scene"), or that Mission Beach does (with its roller coaster and surfers), and of course it is definitely NOT La Jolla Shores (with all the chi-chi people).

OB is a place that is, sorta, permanently stuck in the retro 60's.

I love running in OB in the morning. There's always something to see: the beauty of the pier as the waves crash against it, the majesty of time and water that created Sunset Cliffs, the quiet of the streets (that were clearly the place of some serious partying the previous night as evidenced by broken bongs, bottles, beer cans), the die-hard partyers getting high at 7am (they are our best cheerleaders BTW!).

This morning, however, it was all about the dog poop, used condoms, and smashed watermelon, all of which required careful attention. One misstep and....eeeeeeeewwwwwwww...

First...dog poop. I'm not a dog owner, but I get it that dogs poop. Sometimes a dog get's out and it poops in the middle of what would otherwise be a public walk area. This kind of shit happens, and it may or may not be the owners fault, or sometimes the dog's owner just doesn't bother to clean up after his or her dog, but it really doesn't matter because running on a narrow path or on the sidewalk or on the street and having to avoid dog poop is a pain. We had to avoid at least three piles this morning. GAH!

Betty reported seeing two condoms this morning. Who leaves a used condom on the street? THAT I will never understand. Some couple was copulating on the street? (unlikely, but I've seen a couple going at it on the front lawn before). Probably in a parked car, but then driving along decided to just dispose of it...HERE? GAH! GAH! GAH! (I did not see the used condoms this morning. I must have been on the lookout for dog poop).

As for the smashed watermelon? I just chalk that up to partying kids. At least the poop and the watermelon are bio-degradable. The condom? I'm not so sure about that. Is latex bio-degradable?

In any event, it's things like this that always make an OB run full of distractions and offers me things to ponder along the way.

I got to ponder another thing as well...which was how GREAT I felt during this morning's run after NOT drinking three glasses of wine last night...hmmmmmm. I read somebody's blog (I can't remember who) who wrote earlier in the week about how she was giving up drinking because it was not really conduscive to running. I can see what she means. This morning's run was. not. painful.

Imagine that?

Does that mean that I'm giving up wine? and mimosas?

Not likely! But I am thinking I will for the next few Fridays.

This morning, the whole herd showed up for the run. I saw BBJ and gave him a welcome slap on "the hip." He was feeling the same way I felt the last two weeks because he was at a "math teacher party" last night. Elsie and Mik met Betty and me at Hospitality Point. We took off at a really reasonable 11:15ish pace and kept at that for the first four miles.

As I said, it was a great morning for a run. Clear and cool (until the last 30 minutes or so, when the morning haze passed and I started to feel the heat and humidity).  I managed a sub 11 minute mile pace for 8 miles. This gives me a definite shot at PRing at the San Diego RnR 1/2 on June 6. I haven't had what I would consider (for me) a decent 1/2 mary time since the Nike Women's 1/2 in 2008! So I'm rather excited about that.

Have a great day everyone! Happy Mother's Day to all the moms