On I went, out of the wood, passing the man leading without knowing I was going to do so. Flip-flap, flip-flap, jog-trot, jog-trot, curnchslap-crunchslap, across the middle of a broad field again, rhythmically running in my greyhound effortless fashion, knowing I had won the race though it wasn't half over, won it if I wanted it, could go on for ten or fifteen or twenty miles if I had to and drop dead at the finish of it, which would be the same, in the end, as living an honest life like the governor wanted me to. -Alan Sillitoe, "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner"

Monday, January 9, 2012

Here is how not to do it:

Two guys in a car. I run past. The driver honks. I turn to look, afraid that I'm in danger. Both men lean over, leering at me. One says something lewd.

I feel creeped out, disgusted.

Here is how to do it:

One guy standing on a street corner. I run past. He says, "Look at you, looking all... healthy! I like it!"

I feel maybe a tiny bit creeped out, but mostly kind of smugly happy. I am healthy!

Here's a better idea:


Don't do it at all.

4 comments:

  1. I do not understand the need to yell at runners! Looking all... healthy. LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  2. bahaha. so true. in so many ways.

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  3. Ugh.
    *shudder*

    Do men not know that we do NOT find these behaviors attractive?
    A simple thumbs-up would suffice!

    ReplyDelete