The "Presents" of Horses

Sometimes I get tired of dodging people on the track, so I go to our local rail trails. Let me take a minute to praise the makers and upkeepers of these trails. You guys are awesome! Thank you for giving me a beautiful place to run, walk, and bike!

Another nice thing about these trails is that I don't have to deal with a ton of other people. I do have to deal with what people leave behind. Seriously guys? Can't we clean up after ourselves? Particularly - our animals?

Actually I'm surprised to admit that it seems like most dog owners respect the law of consideration and pick up after their furry friends. So why is it that they are expected to do this, and horse owners can just leave giant piles in the middle of the trails? I mean the horses leave giant piles, not the owners. But the owners should pick them up...you know what I'm trying to say there, right? That makes sense.

People seem to respond to this by saying that horse poop is all natural, so it can simply degrade on the trail and not hurt the environment. Really? So the only reason dogs should be picked up after is that their leavings aren't biodegradable? If it was, would we have to live with it being left all over the place? I bet plenty of dog owners feed their pets natural products. Does that mean these particular dogs don't have to be cleaned up after? I'm not sure this makes sense to me. If people eat all natural, vegan foods, can they poop on the trail too? Okay, maybe that took it too far.

Horses just always seem to leave these heaps right in the middle of the trail. Can you pull over and let the horse do his or her thing? Probably not, I guess. Maybe the horse doesn't tell them when it's time to go.

I guess there isn't a way to argue this one. A horse's poop dries out and breaks down to be just another part of the trail. It's only hay and grass, right? That doesn't mean I'm excited for the times I have to step in it, run around it, or jump over it. Thanks for making the trail slightly less pleasant, horse owners. Glad you're above the rest of us.

Track Rules: Walk Tall (In the appropriate lane)

To keep the peace of the track, faster runners should use the inside lanes, and slow walkers should use the outside lanes. Pretty simple, right?

Hahaha.

Instead, people decide randomly. People walking by themselves seem to scatter to whichever lane their heart desires. No matter whether they are strolling or speed walking, they could be anywhere. Not only that, they change lanes! Apparently, it is very hard to remember how many times they have been around the track, so they have to switch lanes every time around to keep tally.

I'm going to remind you again that I'm not racing around the track at a breakneck pace. I keep to the third or fourth lane (closer to the inside, but not close enough that I'll get in a faster runner's way). Each time I go to the track I am determined to be able to stay in my lane the whole time. Instead, I'm almost constantly having to run around people as the mosey around. I'll actually make sure and pick a lane that no one is using, but by the time I've done a half mile, someone is ahead of me IN MY LANE. What are you doing in lane four? You can see that I've been running in this lane for several laps. There is at least one lane NO ONE IS USING! GO THERE! WALK OVER THERE!

I just took a moment to calm down. Sorry about all the capitals. I got carried away.

Do you understand my frustration though? I'm running at a steady nine to ten minute mile pace, in one lane, for about 30 minutes. I pick a lane that no one else is using. Yet, people seem determined to ignore me and wander over into my lane. Then they walk. Slowly. So, even at my not-so-fast pace, I catch up to them and have to move around them and then back into my lane. Unless I switch to the other empty lane. Sometimes I do that, only to have another couple people decide to walk in that new lane.

Can I clarify here that most of these times there are only about ten people on the track. Eight of these people are walking. One guy is running in lane one. Then there's me. Why are so many people moving into my lane?! Leave me and my lane alone! I would like to just run without any obstacles. Is that such a big deal?

Please walkers. Pick one lane from lanes five, six, seven, or eight. Walk in that lane. Stay in the lane until you are done with your walk. It's not difficult. If you're having trouble counting your number of laps, just find some other creative way to remember. Is it that hard to count in your head? Stay out of my lane.

Track Rules: Keep Your Sports to Yourself

Why are there rules for running on a track? Well I actually just tried to look that up, and couldn't find a very specific article to quote. I'll just put it my way then. There are rules for running on a track because it makes it more enjoyable and convenient for everyone, and apparently it helps the track not get worn out so fast. These rules are not very complicated. Three days a week everyone goes clockwise, and the other days, we all should go the opposite way. The inside lanes are for faster runners, and the outside ones are for walkers. Why does everyone seem to find this so complicated? Or, no one finds it difficult to follow, they just don't care and selfishly do whatever they want.

I run on the track because its close to where I live, I don't have to worry about traffic, and I like to pretend that it's easier on my feet and knees. The measurements on the track make it easier to run intervals, and to have a better idea of how far I've gone and how fast (without having to check my phone or watch).

Unfortunately, every time I go to the track I am confronted with the fact that no one really gives a damn about anyone else. It's the "I'll do what I want" attitude, and it frustrates me to no end! I'm not sure I can fit all my snobbery into this one post. Lately running over at the stadium has just been driving me nuts. I run to de-stress. I run to cool off. I don't want to run over people, but I will.

I first especially noticed this people-problem when I was running at night. The track becomes a free for all once it gets dark. The middle field is completely filled with several different groups playing various sports: football, soccer, ultimate frisbee, lacrosse, etc. This is fine. I don't need to use the turf, so I don't really care what happens there. It does start to bother me when balls and people roll out in my way. One night, I actually had to dodge out of the way before I got hit in the head. Maybe you should learn to play somewhere else. Maybe there should be more public parks that are open at night so soccer players can relocate themselves somewhere where I will not be running. Why is the track the only well lit field in town? Maybe that's a question for another time?

These sports people also don't know how to exit the track in a considerate way. They will slowly gather their belongings, and then drift out onto the track in groups. I guess they realize they still have some things to discuss, so they stop mid-track to talk about these (very important) issues. Do they move when they see me coming? No. And I'm not exactly flying along. They have plenty of time to shift to one side or another. Instead, they just watch as I run all the way around them, sometimes having to go outside of all of the lanes to pass them. Seriously?

Please feel free to play your games on the green space of the track. Contain them to that space! I don't run onto the field and get in your way! I keep myself and my stuff in a tiny little lane. Don't expect me to kick a ball back to you. Keep your balls as far away as possible.