I've been hit

Ok, ok... maybe I shouldn't have been quite so boastful about the MANY benefits of life down South! I got carried away talking about the weather, beautiful scenery, mountains, etc… To those of you who were filled with jealousy upon reading my 1st blog entry: release the envy, because a little bird sent a message on your behalf!

After a tough sprint race on Sunday, I spun-out the legs on my bike Monday. So yesterday, I was excited to get out and have a no pressure run. The sun was shining, temps in the upper 80’s… the parks in Greenville were calling my name. I left my house feeling good, hooked up to my favorite gizmo: the clip-on ipod shuffle… a must have for music lovers. (whatever Jen, “pure” or not… running with tunes is just more fun)

Anyway, I headed along my usual route. Past Upstate Fitness – quick hello to Kate who was working w/ her personal trainer. Through downtown, falls park, up McDaniel Ave… things were going fine. The songs were rolling along, legs feeling good… and then it hit me. Quite literally on my leg. I saw it coming… falling from the tree. I couldn’t react fast enough. The huge, warm, wet, BIRD DROPPING landed SPLAT on my quad… a spatter of crap quickly mixing with my sweat. Eeewww. I stopped instantly (after 1st hitting stop on my watch ;)… and just looked at it. Since I don’t normally run with a fanny-pack full of baby wipes, I grabbed for the next best thing: leaves. Here I was on McDaniel Ave, smearing bird poo around on my leg…. And just at that moment, who should appear?

It was Noel, my roommate, running toward me up the hill. She was already laughing… “what are you doing,” she asked. “The bird got me,” I replied while rubbing my leg with a handful of foliage. All she could do was laugh, then continue her run (she doesn’t run w/ baby wipes either… darn my luck).

There is was, a reminder that no place is perfect! Birds poo on you, even here in beautiful South Carolina. Sometimes you get hit with a splatter of crap… but, carry on… keep running. Don’t let it ruin your mood, wipe off with leaves and keep moving my friends.

*The pictures above are of "Falls Park" here in Greenville... along my favorite running route, right downtown! The greenspaces are fantastic.