I spit when I run.
I am sorry if this offends you (as it apparently did a couple that was running in front of me during a 5K last fall. They actually turned around and glared at me like I was grossing them out. Maybe I was.)
Anyway, that's not my problem. I mean, I guess it is a problem that this phlegm or whatever builds up when I'm really working hard on a run - but no more so than needing to pee or fart or blow my nose. It's just one of those things.
No, my problem is that I don't know HOW to spit. I was always taught that good girls don't spit in public, so my experience has been limited to spitting out toothpaste. Today, during my run, I had to spit. It was windy. I bet you're smart enough to figure out what happened next! I just can't seem to get any distance on my spitting. I've hit my shoes, or had a whole spit-FAIL where I was left with a strand of saliva hanging from my lip that I ended up having to wipe off.
So today, I was running and wondering... how exactly do you learn to spit effectively? Is this something I should just practice outside in my yard? Should I make a habit of spitting during every training run whether I need to or not? Are there any other female runners in this hemisphere that spit when they run? Am I really as pathetic as I sound?
When I finished my run, my children were waiting on me. They had finished their Taekwondo class and were running around playing near the tennis courts while their dad did his post-run stretches. I ran up and my 6 year old daughter yelled - "Hey Mom! Say something funny!" and then took a swig of water. I knew what was coming. Gracie had discovered the spit-take!
I said "You have a booger in your nose!" and she spit forth the water with all the gusto of a 14 year old boy! Then she did it again, and again and again - until Brian and I were sick of coming up with "funny" sayings and said "enough!"
And that's when it hit me. The secret to learning how to spit! Now all I need is a water bottle and "America's Funniest Home Videos" !!
Do you ever need to spit when you run? (please say I'm not the only one!)
