Butt Cheeks and Baltimore

There was a time, not long ago, when I would take every opportunity to roll those short-shorts just one more time. Sometimes I wonder why, or how, I ever managed to fold over the top of those teeny-tiny blue uniform shorts from freshman year in college. I think that there was something about the freedom of skin-tight spandex that just felt right when you’re gutting it out in a race. I was thinking about this just the other day because I was realizing how differently I think about running outfits these days.  It’s not that I wouldn’t love to hang out some butt cheek or flash a little midriff during a race or workout, but  something is different now. I’m pretty sure the difference is only partly due to living in the city. It certainly has nothing to do with my love for nudity fading – that still holds strong.

There are a lot of things about city running that are quite different from what I’m used to. For one, there are people everywhere, all the time. Before living in Baltimore, dodging branches or mud puddles was the norm and now I have to squeeze between tourists and phone poles on crowded sidewalks. It sure changes your running style. Another thing is the sound, it’s impossible to find silence on a run when you live in the city. The sense of solitude on a long run is somehow lost when you can’t hear your own steady breaths.  But these things I’ve come to terms with, and when it comes down to it, running is running. It’s what I do and a few tourists won’t stop me.

The change that I didn’t anticipate was the lack of butt cheek. Yes, that’s right, I said butt cheek. Maybe it’s no longer having a constant rotating gaggle of girls to run with, or maybe it’s the infrequency of my visits to a track, but the days of carefree clothing is gone. Don’t get me wrong – I rock the suns out guns out look from time to time, but usually only if I’m staying close to home and it’s nowhere near dusk, and it’s not a Friday or Saturday night, or a Thursday night, or a Ravens game… You get the picture. I don’t feel free to dress for the weather anymore; I have to take other things into account these days. At risk of sounding like a negative Nancy, I’m sure that this change has happened because of the increased awareness needed for safe city running. Especially in a place like Baltimore, where a good block can directly border a bad block, there’s always a little bit of anxiety following me around on my runs. Sometimes the feeling comes when a biker comes up a little too close to my shoulder, other times it’s when a car drives slowly through a crosswalk I’m waiting at, but the instant high alert my body kicks into is never ideal for training. My heart rate was already elevated enough, thank you very much. This mild underlying hypersensitivity to my surroundings stole that part of me that proudly frolicked around in spankies at Franklin Park and stashed it somewhere in ME or NH. It’s not gone for good, get me with a group of my CCXC girls and  I can guarantee some excess skin will be on display, but for now, I’m just trying to get back some of that feeling of freedom. I’m a few weeks into my speedwork plan (crafted by coach Dad) for a turkey trot 5K and I really need to remind myself of how good it feels to pull on a pair of tiny black spandex shorts and bust out some repeat 400’s. So here’s to bringing back the butt cheeks…watch out Baltimore.