Words of Advice

1. When you buy a new sports bra & are about to wear it for the 1st time during a long run, DO NOT forget to put a good coat of Body Glide on around your chest & back. I, unfortunately, forgot to do this Saturday & ended up with my back sliced up from the bra rubbing against my skin. I didn't even know that had happened until I got in the shower & the hot water hit my back. YEEEE-OOOWWWW!! Lesson learned.

2. If you happen to live in an area that has received a year's worth of rain in about 2 months, I have two words for you: Bug spray! Embrace it. It is your friend.

3. When deciding which marathon to run, it might be a good idea to look ahead at your training season & see if it happens to fall during a time of year when merely stepping outdoors basically feels like you're stepping onto the surface of the sun.

4. If, after reading #3, you still decide to go ahead with your decision to run an "Autumn" marathon, & you're attempting to do 1/2 mile sprints in the hottest months of the year with temperatures with heat indexes of 110º or higher & 90+% humidity, it's a good idea to take your fuel belt bottles the day before your run, fill them with water & Gatorade, & stick them in the freezer. That way, when you run & the water begins to melt, it's EXTREMELY refreshing to pour the SUPER ice cold water over your head, shoulders, arms & legs. And of course, what tastes better when you run than ice cold Gatorade?

Last, but most certainly NOT least...

5. If you're at a public health club/gym & are using the steam room/pool area & feel your nose begin to run, DO NOT (& I cannot stress this enough) under ANY circumstance begin to blow your nose INTO YOUR BARE HANDS over & over again for a good 10 minutes, while also PICKING said nose, then walk to the drinking fountain & take a drink while placing your booger filled hands on the nozzle. And PLEASE don't continue to blow your nose INTO YOUR BARE HANDS again & then place your booger filled hands on every railing & door knob in the pool area & steam room. Go downstairs to the locker room & get a friggin' tissue & blow your nose like a NORMAL human being! (Yes, I really did witness such an atrocity at the gym yesterday. I'd have strangled the woman who did it, but you know... boogers. *shudders* Did I mention that at one point, she rubbed her booger filled hand all over her bare belly? *pukes*)