Shoelaces and Blood

There I was at 5:30 am, running along and feeling fine when I felt the tale-tell tapping against my lower shin that signaled a flopping shoelace. For the second consecutive run, I had an untied shoelace. What am I, five years old all over again?

There was a time when I would double-knot my shoelaces every time I ran, and I guess I have to return to those golden days. Or buy those shoelace clips, but buying anything else for running this year is pretty much a non-starter in my mind. I've paid for my Green Bay registration, I'll be buying new shoes in May, and I'm committed to the travel expenses for the marathon trip.

So shoelace clips can take a number.

Anyway, I stopped in the early morning chill, knelt down, retied my laces, double-knotted them, and got going again. Of course, I'd had to pull off my woolen mittens to do my shoe tying, which meant I had to pull the mittens back on to start running again.

Once I got going again things were good. The temperature was around 12 and there was a brisk east wind, but except for the two times I was running straight into the wind, I was comfortable. I should have been, because I must have taken 20 minutes to dress this morning. That's the part of winter running I truly hate--taking so long just to get ready to head out the door.

But I was really glad I ran early, because the snow started falling before noon. Then the blood center called, with an urgent need for my blood type. I drove on over and dropped off a unit and smiled that I now had a very good excuse for skipping my weight training for the day.

Sometimes life is good. Even when your shoelace is flopping around.