Staff Blog: Clear The Path!

Welcome to our new staff blog, which will be updated four times weekly by editor-in-chief Brian Metzler, Competitor.com senior producer Mario Fraioli, associate editor Cielestia Calbay and copy editor Linzay Logan. Our aim is to inform, inspire and entertain, while also sharing our own experiences as runners in an effort to open up a discussion about a variety of topics that we can all relate to on a daily basis. Enjoy!

Summer has finally arrived in San Diego. I’ll take blue skies and temperatures in the mid-70s and 80s over an overcast, cool day any time. It might be the native Californian in me, but I love the sun beating down on my back and sweat dripping off my forehead while my endorphin high rushes through me during a perfect run.

Sounds like the beginning of a cheesy, summer romance novel, right? Except this is no romance. With the sun and blue skies come tourists — lots and lots of tourists. And while I’m sure most of the tourists who visit San Diego in the summertime are all great people who recycle and turn the water off while they’re brushing their teeth, it’s what they do when they’re out in the sun doing touristy things that drives me bonkers. Sunsets and sailboats have a way of paralyzing people dead in their tracks — I get that, both are very pretty and fun to look at — but please, please, please find another place to stand and stare instead of right in the middle of the running path!

Last weekend I went for a run with a few mile repeats thrown in to spice things up a bit, and it seemed like every time I picked up the pace something or someone decided I did not need to be running those repeats. I still managed to finish my workout, however, despite the challenges literally blocking my path.

I admit, driving somewhere less crowded would probably eliminate the aforementioned issues, but the busy path by my house is just so darn convenient. And I admit, sometimes I like to look at the sunset and sailboats, too. Every time I run from home, however, I am bound to run into at least one of the following four roadblocks:

The Wandering Toddler

Out of nowhere, they just pop up and will look at you like a deer in headlights then run in circles confused as to what to do until you pass them. One time, I scared a little girl enough that she ran back to her mom in tears. I didn’t know what to do other than apologize and keep on running.

The Never-ending Leash

If there is one dog accessory that should be outlawed it’s those leashes that just go on and on — and on. They make better trip lines than leashes.

The Kick Line

It’s nice when the whole family gets together for a walk, but when they walk side-by-side, taking up the entire sidewalk, it’s a problem—it becomes a game of Red Rover and I’m sending Linzay on over.

OK, sometimes I think about running through them, but never actually do.

The Lost Tourist

Lost, with their heads down and staring at a cell phone, tourists might be the most dangerous of any of the aforementioned roadblocks. They’ll look up from the phone at any second and charge in their intended direction. Just make sure you’re ready for any move when you run past.

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? Which obstacles block your favorite path? And when they do, how do you avoid any unwanted encounters?