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Well, THAT’S a different smell.

Published on 12/01/09
by Maureen

So a weird thing happened to me yesterday. It was Sunday at 4:45 p.m. I was grousing because my parents had come to visit and taken up most of my day, and I hadn’t completed a long run yet during the weekend. It was getting dark, and I was not in the mood to start an outdoor 12-miler, so I laced up and ran the 1.15 miles to the gym.

I got there and took the only treadmill with no one running on the adjacents, as is tradition in both treadmill running and bathroom stall use. But as I looked down into the cupholders of the treadmill next to me I noticed a man’s wallet. I briefly considered bringing it to the front desk, but figured I’d give him a few minutes to come back before manhandling his things.

He did come back. Reeking like an ashtray. Duder had gone out for a cigarette MID-RUN. Then he jumped back on at maybe nine-minute pace and finished off another two or three miles.

WTF? I don’t even like running after I eat a cookie. How can this guy consume nicotine and just romp back on like that?

Upon further research, Dr. English’s running website points out that in Asia, many runners smoke. Some even smoke WHILE running the Honolulu marathon: http://coachjoeenglish.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/training-what-is-the-impact-of-smoking-on-runners/

I’ts not like I’ve NEVER smoked a cigarette, but to me the whole thing feels a bit like bulimia: doing something bad and then trying to make up for it that may or may not really be effective. I know now is the time for New Year’s resolutions, and maybe he is doing the trying to lose weight but not the trying to give up smoking. In my mind, though, it’d be much more effective in the opposite order.

On the other hand, I’m not going to begrudge anyone for trying. Running is always good if you actually want to do it and are physically able to.

But next time give me the heads up so I can move down to the next treadmill, stinky.

The run is over. Now what?

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