Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Let's just say we had our wires crossed...

First let me get some run updating out of the way before I launch into the story about Mandi and I getting our wires crossed (I think it's an entertaining story, but you can of course be the judge). Back to my personal run update: I've been improving on my pace ever since I got sprung from the Hole, but today I actually got worse by about 30 seconds. That's the bad news. Good news is that I ran the 1.8 mile loop with no walking breaks!!! Some of you are probably wondering how that happens (that I can take walking breaks yet have a better pace)? You see, for the past few days I've been doing a walk/sprint/run/walk/run/sprint kind of a thing. Today I just did a RUN kind of a thing! I'll still alternate between the two, because I really do enjoy the sprinting part, but today it was nice to try and keep the same pace the whole time. Mission accomplished!

Ok, now to me and my ever so lovely wife getting our wires crossed...

Ronnie: (totally out of breath after getting back from his run) Honey! I ran the whole time!!
Mandi: That's great babe! I'm so proud of you! (brief pause) Want to ride your bike while I go for my run?
R: Oh, you're going for a run?
M: Yeah, you motivated me.
R: Sweet! Let me go change my bike tire. (I put a "never flat" one on yesterday and I hate it)[Ronnie goes out to fix tire]
M: [Mandi comes into garage] Ready?
R: Yup, let's do it
M: Man, you've become a pro at changing that bike tire huh?
R: You know it

So we take off down the driveway and no more than 10 seconds into her run, my bike starts making all kinds of crazy noises.

R: Keep going, I'm going to see what's up with the bike. I'll catch up with you.
M: Ok
R: Where are you going?
M: Down E then left on Q
R: Ok
[Mandi is seen running down E as Ronnie returns to the garage]

So I get to the garage and flip the bike on it's bike side to discover that the chain is rubbing against the frame. I grab my handy bike tool, adjust the tire and everything looks good. I start going down the driveway, pedal once or twice and all of the sudden, my chain is around the pedal. Not good. Now I wheel the bike up to the driveway, thread the chain back around the pedal and onto the gear, flip the bike upside down, pedal the bike with my hands and the chain is rubbing again. Check Mandi's bike to see where her chain threads. Go back to my bike to see that it looks the same. Decide I'm an idiot (or as Mandi would say "a real pro at this tire changing thing") and just grab Mandi's bike.

Having no clue as to how much time has passed at this point, I decide that instead of going where Mandi was, I was going to go to where she was heading. I pedaled her little bike as fast as it would go, cutting across the entire neighborhood on Street M to Street C which meets up with Street Q. No Mandi. I then pedaled my butt off to street K knowing that she said it was going to be a shorter run and this was her shorter route. No Mandi. I go down to Street K thinking that Mandi must be incredibly fast until it intersects with Street M. No Mandi. Flip the bike around to go back down Street K until I get to Street C. Look both ways and there she is, waaaaaaaaay down Street C in the opposite direction of our house (her long route). I pedaled her little bike as fast as it would go because I know she doesn't like running alone at night. Then...nothing. Not only was it not her, it was literally nothing, a mirage of sorts. Flip the bike around and start pedaling up Street C to get to Street Q (no short distance mind you). Get to Street Q. Nothing. Turn down Street Q to head back towards the house and a half of a mile later I hit pay dirt!! (In total there was 4.12 miles of zig-zagged goodness).

Mandi: Where were you? (in a not so happy, out of breath, tone)
Ronnie: Looking for you! (in a matter of fact, out of breath, tone)
[At this point Mandi turn back to run towards the house as I ride beside her]

SILENCE ENSUES

[Back at the house]

Mandi: Where did you go?
Ronnie: [see above]
M: What happened to "I'll catch up with you?"
R: That's what I was trying to do!
M: But if all you did was drop off your bike and get mine...
R: That's not all that I did [give another brief version of the story]
M: So what, do you think I run a 7 minute mile?
R: I had no concept of time. I was trying to cut you off. I'm sorry.
M: I just don't know what happened with "I'll catch up with you"
R: Yeah, I know, I'm sorry but I've been riding my little butt of trying to find you. There certainly wasn't a lack of effort on my part. I mean, I had sweat running into my eyes and I couldn't wipe them because of the stupid grease on my hands from the bike chain.
M: You know I hate running at night. I was running all alone.
R: I know. That's why I tried to find you.
M: Why didn't you just go the way I went?
R: Because I was trying to be clever and cut you off. Next time I'll just go the way you went.
M: I've been running back and forth Street Q looking for you.
R: I know honey, I'm sorry.

SILENCE ENSUES

[roughly 3 minutes later]

Mandi: I'm sorry I got frustrated and I realize that you were probably just as scared as I was (while hugging me)
Ronnie: I wasn't scared.
M: Women running alone at night get kidnapped, I could have been kidnapped.
R: I passed three women running alone while looking for you and they were fine. (typical guy thing to say. idiot)
M: Then they're stupid.
R: I'm sorry that you were tired, running around looking for me.
M: I wasn't tired, just frustrated.
R: I'm sorry. Next time, I know just what to do. We just got our wires crossed.
M: Friends again?
R: Friends again.
M: You have grease on your forehead.

CUT SCENE

So that was my best recap of what unfolded. I'm sure Mandi has a different side of the story and I will say that I'm sure I left some parts out. I just thought it was funny and an interesting look into a silly "dispute" between Mandi and I. Hopefully you guys out there can learn from my mistakes :)

Sorry I bored you to tears. The end.

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