Running Nearly Naked

Someone mentioned to me that I haven’t written anything about the “Nearly Naked Mile” I ran last month. I didn’t think a one-mile run was worth mentioning, but I guess the lack of clothing made it rather interesting.

Julie Johnston, a fellow member of the CVRA running club, had talked me into doing this race. It was a one-mile run at the University of Iowa where you donated your clothes to the Salvation Army. It sounded like fun…combining running and being nearly naked. Throw in some ice cream and it would be the perfect day.

We drove down with two other runners. Could we have picked a colder day? Wind chills were in the 20’s so I kept my clothes on as long as I could. About 15 minutes before the race I stripped down to a bikini bottom, sports bra and a rabbit fur cap.

Most of the competitors were college students, the only ones who are probably crazy enough to run without clothes! Julie was up front with the fast runners and I found my place at the back with my appropriate “pace group” i.e. college students who were still hung over from the night before. Next to me was a group of guys in cut-off shorts, cowboy hats and boots with clothing made from beer case boxes. At least they were creative.

The race was off. All I cared about at this point was finishing as quickly as possible so I could put clothes on! I’m sure the college students were wondering what this old lady was doing out there. The redneck boys ran by me, complaining about how much it hurt to run in cowboy boots.

My Dad’s rabbit fur cap is about 50 years old and it sheds. I could feel the fur flying in my mouth. Where’s the water stop? I guess one-mile races don’t have breaks. A girl in lingerie ran by me. Is that legal? On the final block a dog went by me. He had a fur coat so he was obviously overdressed.

At the finish line I grabbed some hot chocolate and found my friends. Julie was her usual upbeat self, but I just wanted to build a campfire right by the student union. It would be a while before feeling returned to my body.

On to other things…It’s April now so time to crank up the training. It’s been tough to run. I have a bunion on my foot that has bothered me since last year. I had surgery on my right foot nine years ago, but I never did my left and it keeps screaming at me. I should have had surgery last winter and now it’s too late in the season. I will just have to suck it up and push through.

I’m doing a 10K race in less than two weeks and my first tri of the season is next month. Both of these fall under the category of “What was I thinking?!” I’ve been doing some three-mile jogs so don’t know that I am ready for a 10K, but sometimes putting a race on the schedule can make me push myself in training. I’ve never done a tri in May before and since temps have been below normal for weeks, I’m dreading that lake water. That race will probably be closer to a “polar plunge” than a triathlon. Oh well, have to keep tri-ing...