Ballad of my jacked-up Garmin (and rant)

My Garmin Forerunner 305 has been my usually-faithful running friend since February 2011. I can’t remember how I got along running without it! It has seen me through six half marathons, marathon training plus the whole 26.2, plus countless other races and training runs. It has gotten a lot of wear-and-tear, and I have had to invest in a bottle of super glue to take care of some of that wear and tear. Let’s take a look:

Clockwise from top left:

1) The little loop thing that holds the extra length of your strap down was first to go, breaking off sometime during marathon training. I found a hairband in my duffel bag and used it as a substitute. As you can see, the metal part of the hairband has become rusted from my sweat. That is gross. I will be changing that hairband out ASAP.

2) I was pulling my strap in place when the right part of the thing that holds the screen to the top strap broke off, and the screw fell out. After frantically searching the parking lot for about 15 minutes, I found the screw and super glued everything in place.

3) What do you call this thing? Fastener? Hook? I’ll call it a hook. The black rubber part that holds this silver hook in place ripped down the middle, so the hook fell out. I had to put the hook back in and then super glue the whole thing shut. It is not very flexible anymore.

4) As you can see, there are slits between the holes which means if I pull too hard, the little hook thing will slide all the way down rather than stay in the hole I have chosen. This was caused probably by me pulling on the strap too hard.

So, I am waiting to see the next part of the Garmin which will fall apart – I’m not sure if there is anything left (knock on wood). Alas, I will likely be using this Garmin until the part that actually matters – the GPS capability and screen – ends up not working. Until then, I will attach this thing to a necklace and wear it around my neck if I have to! Garmins are expensive!

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Random Long Running Story/Rant:

Yesterday I ran 5 miles in this very safe residential area that does not have a lot of through-traffic. As normal, when there wasn’t a sidewalk I was running on the left side of the road so I can see oncoming traffic. I was running down  a street that ended with a semi-circle, so as I ran around the circle, I approached an SUV that was sitting in the middle of the road in front of a house. I slowed down to see if the SUV was about to start moving, but it didn’t appear so. My only options were to stop and wait for who knows how long, or go around, so I went around him on the right side. I immediately got back on the left side of the road, looking behind me to make sure he wasn’t moving.

About 10 seconds later, the SUV slowly pulled up alongside me and this old man driving rolled down his window. “Did I almost hit you?” he asked. I said no, it was fine, and then he said, condescendingly, “Well, I hope you’re being alert. I don’t think I would have seen you.” I did not respond to him, though I wanted to.

Let’s look at some facts of the situation:

1) When he pulled up alongside me, I was on the left side of the road like I’m supposed to be, and he was driving down the middle of the road instead of completely in the right lane, like be should have been.

2) I was completely aware of him and looked back to make sure he wasn’t going to hit me. Apparently, he started driving after being stopped in the middle of the road withOUT looking around, and then was surprised when he saw me in front of him. So HE was the one not alert in the situation, NOT me.

3) I am as alert as a runner can be who runs to music – I keep the volume low so I can hear approaching vehicles or people, I stay on the left side so I can see oncoming traffic, and when a car is coming toward me, I get on the grass if it’s possible. As long as cars coming behind me like he was stay in the right lane like they’re supposed to, there shouldn’t be a problem. If there is a sidewalk, I run on it. And on top of all that, I wear a Go Sport ID bracelet with my name and emergency contact numbers in case something does happen. I don’t take my safety for granted

4) So in conclusion, he was the one not being alert enough. Seeing as how he was the one behind a 2-ton vehicle, maybe he should have been chastising himself. I don’t appreciate getting lectured because I’m running on the road in a very quiet, safe neighborhood where I am still extra careful even though there’s not much traffic.

This made me so angry at the time. I wasn’t even halfway through my 5-mile run at the time, and it was so hot. I was thinking about cutting the run short. But the anger he provided me fueled me through the rest of the run. For about 3 more miles I seethed about him and it made it go by fast. So thanks jerk! And watch where you’re going!