Good morning! Today I had to cut my run short because I had an early call. I did just under 6 miles (stopped early to walk it in for a cool down).
This was just supposed to be a slow, steady run but I ended up doing a few speedy miles. The first few were “normal” – 3 miles out, very slightly uphill. The first mile back downhilly was 8:11?!
Then, I caught up with a guy in front of me. It was that really awkward thing where you basically run at the same pace. So, passing them would be hard (and you have to maintain that faster pace or you just look like an asshole) but staying slightly behind them is too slow.
Hmmm. 
I realized I caught up to the guy so I must be going faster than him, but he sped up when he heard me closing in. I’m not very competitive with running so it just bugged me that I didn’t know if I should speed up or slow down. I decided, “F this, I know he’s just speeding up because he hears me…” So I passed him.
And it reminded me of something that happened at Big Sur I didn’t tell you guys.
I stayed with Ben for 2.5 miles. We went out really slow = 14 minute miles. So, when I left him I was able to speed up right away. I passed a bunch of people and as I was passing a guy (while we were running UP A HILL) he told me, “Slow down…something something you need to pace…”
He totally thought I was a newbie and shouldn’t be running past him! I’m not sure how I should take that whole interaction. At the time I just kept running and tried to get in the zone (the hills were hard!).
The end.
After my run I made French Toast
I have pumpkin to eat up so I mixed it with some yogurt, stevia, pp spice and heated it up for a bit. 
Question: Is it weird to eat pumpkin year ‘round?
I played competitive softball in high school (my school team won state champions) and also for one year in college. Without fail, every single time I go play on a rec softball team, SOME GUY always gives me some kind of instruction – correcting my form or telling me to stand somewhere else on the field. It never fails. This is before they have seen me play, of course, when they’ve just met me. It’s so ridiculous that they assume I don’t know what I’m doing. I feel you.
Go state champs! I would get mad about that if I was you!
haha that is awkward…maybe the guy was embarrassed he couldn’t make it up the hill as fast as you!
I love pumpkin and keep cans of it on hand at all times. I have to force myself not to buy the pumpkin pie filling since it’s way less healthy and I tend to just eat it by itself as if it were pudding. Is that gross?
Ha! Not gross. At least you’re not eating the buttery crust when you do that?
I love that you were underestimated. HA! Serves em right. You go girl.
So…you’re part of my morning routine. I come in to work, I get some tea, I check skinny runner, run eat repeat, and 4 other running blogs. Where is Skinny Runner? I am limping by with a mere 5 running blogs each morning, but I really need my SR fix.
Thanks for keeping it real with showing us what you eat. You inspire me!
Nope especially if you love it
I just had to say I wear the same Brooks Ghost 4 shoes (love them) but mine are way more dirty 🙂
Not at all! I almost prefer it in the warm months to add in my smoothies and it’s great to bake with!
I don’t think it’s weird to eat pumpkin year round, you actually make me want to…
then I went to Target to buy some but didn’t find it..
Where do you get yours?
I actually ended up doing about half of my long run with a random person once – he was an older guy, and he must have been just behind me (on a fairly busy path) for a while. When he caught up to me he apologised because he said it can be annoying having someone just behind you like that. We ended up having a bit of a chat, and he was really knowledgable about running so it made for a great long run!
We eat pumpkin all year round. I never really thought about it being a seasonal thing until I started reading American blogs!
It is not weird to eat pumpkin year-round. Pumpkin Pie is my favorite and I have it for my birthday in May every year 🙂
Pumpkin all year round is GENIUS. Not weird. At all.
And now I’m craving pumpkin.
Oh. That’s a hilarious comment!!! And pumpkin is great to eat year-round. It can just be hard to find!
NO! Pumpkin is awesome year round, I thinK I turn orange in the Fall though, I eat it in everything….love me some Fall!!!!!
Not weird to eat pumpkin year-round. Not. One. Bit.!!
Loved the running story…I love passing people (if it’s not going to kill me 30 seconds down the road). But that is awkward when you come up on someone like you described. It doesn’t happen all the time, but still.
I find on my long run Saturdays that I pass the same person at different points along the route (Peter’s Canyon & Hicks Canyon trails). I find myself wondering how far they are running, what they are training for, and (weirdest of all) if my pace is faster or slower than theirs based on where we’re crossing paths. It’s totally ridiculous since I have no idea where else they ran: but hey, it passes the time!
It’s Wednesday…good day for fro yo! 🙂
I actually have this little “dance” with this guy I see on the trails all of the time. We bounce into each other and usually speed up to push one another for about 2 miles…then one of us peels off. I’ve done this about 3 times with him over the last few months and we’ve never spoken a word to one another.
I am competitive I love to pass and I hate being passed when running! That is what almost killed me during my first 5K, I wanted to win dangit! (And I didn’t even come close lol). I love pumpkin year around! My favorite is a pumpkin protein shake! Yumm!
Nope! I made your pumpkin pancakes last night! And I am super competitive when it comes to running/ life:), so I always try to beat the other person or speed up.. mean.. but true!
I actually love passing runners. Even if it’s going to suck and I’m going to have to speed up my pace to keep ahead of them. I’ve run Hood to Coast a couple times and getting “roadkill” is huge. Most vans keep track of all their runner’s roadkill with tally marks. I’m not a fast runner so the day I got my 1st one was awesome.
I totally eat pumpkin year round! It’s so damn good. Fall flavors are the best anyway, why shouldn’t we eat them year round? 😛
Pumpkin is delicious year round <– fact
I somehow find this similar to the race comment you received: I found out about a month ago I had a malignant tumor on my thyroid (was removed last Wednesday no biggie everything is great) but when I found out I was in shock and afraid bc my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant so all I could think about is what if I am, what will this do to the baby, etc. anyway I leave the doctors office (which is in a big with multiple offices) and I just stood there in the hall trying to gather myself. Some man (overweight by the way) walks past me and said something like “you young kids now a days are so lazy. The stairs are quicker you need to do things in life not stand around” I looked up and realized I was standing near the elevator. I didn’t even know what to say! First I was having a hard day, secondly I have run 5 marathons so far this year. What upset the most was his overweight wife was looking at me like I was the most disgusting person on earth.
I personally feel you shouldn’t make comments to people like that when you don’t know! How rude of that runner, so what if you crapped out because you didn’t pace – none of this business!
Rants over 🙂
Hope your health is okay Meg <3
Nope – I love pumpkin! I run at a 14 min mile right now – I thought I was the only one out there!
Yep, you and Ben could be running buddies 🙂
I caught up to a guy who was walking right at mile 2 on my first 5K. When he saw he was getting “chicked” he started running again. He stayed with me until we hit the water station and then he just faded away. It was just what I needed to bump it up the next 2 miles. I was trail running last weekend on a system right off a paved trail that a lot of families use. When I hit the paved trail to run back to my car some guy (with his family) felt he had to educate me about how I better have bug block on. I have never had any issues with women when I exercise. Geez.
I stocked up on pumpkin during fall, because it wierdly goes missing from the grocery store once Thanksgiving is over. So yes, I eat it year round.
Ahh, running awkwardly next to someone is my worst fear!! Luckily I’m still so slow other runners just pass right by. Which is kind of sad, but at least it’s not awkward! haha
I usually only have pumpkin in the fall, but I’m going to buy some soon because it’s too delicious for only one season!!
Wow I need to start cooking like that.
So that French toast, no eggs?
Good job on the run. 🙂
I feel like that happens a lot when I’m driving… like I’ll have my cruise control on so I know I’m doing the same speed, but I keep passing/getting passed by the same car. Or they speed up when I’m trying to pass them. So annoying.
Not weird at all! Pumpkin is just that delicious.
Bah. I had pumpkin pancakes for dinner the other day. It’s never a bad time for pumpkin.
That would be awkward!! Luckily for me, I rarely encounter another runner when I am out on the roads. I would probably find another road to turn on to and finish my run.
I eat pumpkin year around too! It’s great to use in baked goods and breakfast stuff rather than butter or oil, so it’s a staple for me!
I think it’s hilarious when you’re out running and people get competitive about passing them!
I find the worst is when you’re swimming. It’s so awkward if the person in the lane next to you tries to keep up. Or if you go to pass someone and they pass you right back but can’t keep the pace!
Funny you should ask that question because I was just thinking, “that’s a little weird to eat pumpkin year round” I mean not so weird, I guess I just never thought of it before. It does sound good though=D
Nope! I made pumpkin muffins on Sunday and finished the leftover pumpkin in a couple bowls of oatmeal this week!
Maybe that guy was telling himself to slow down and pace? Lol. Maybe.
The Big Sur story is great – the stuff people say to you/about you while running can be hilarious. I once started a 10k WAY too far back, and it was a race I had a goal time for. I was dodging & weaving like Mike Tyson trying to make time and I heard these two women say “Wow – that girl is really fast.” It totally made my day.
I like that 🙂
hahaha i’m so glad you wrote how awkward it is when you find a runner who is going the same pace as you! it happened to me the other day, and it was super awkward…and i was wondering if they probably thought it was weird too! glad to know that you’re on the same page as me!