Awkward shower

Today is Wednesday. Wednesday's are my group running days. It's the second week of group running and my schedule has already suggested a change. I was invited to a wine tasting a few weeks back, so I had already said yes. I knew that I couldn't use it as an excuse to not run, so I knew I would have to run before work or at my lunch break.

I planed it out as follows. Pack bag the evening prior. Lay out running clothes. Set alarm for 5:20am. Drive up to the park, stretch, and begin run by 6:30am. I meant to go for the full 3.2 miles but then i hit the wrong thing on my phone and it ended my run, so I just walked back to the car & stretched.

I enjoyed the morning because it was dark when I started out and with each morning running I passed we did the "motorcyclist wave" and said a small hello. I was running at a good pace, I could hear the tempo of my breathing, foot falls, music, and my arm motion all just working nicely together. While, I wanted to run further its probably better that I just stayed on the average of 2.4 miles for right now. Saturday I can push 3 miles and make 3 miles the norm.

I work in Saratoga, so running in the park is a great option. It's actually where I run Monday nights. I know the loops, know roughly the mileage. Know what part of the park I'm scared of (damn hills). So I knew that i could run relatively early in the park even if it was dark out. If I lived near work, or ran near where I lived I wouldn't have obsessively freaked out about how to get clean & pretty after an early run.

Work has a shower.
It's odd. 
An accessible shower on the first floor.

I've used it on a weekend once after running a race in Saratoga. However, I didn't have to think about people coming into work seeing me rock the brightest of athletic gear. This morning, was different. People were in the building and more would be arriving soon.

I made it to the office around 7:20am and took the awkward work shower. It's awkward for several reasons. The largest reason is there is a shower rod but no curtain.You have to check to make sure the two door locks are locked. Not many people use the shower option at work, normally it's the single stall bathroom that the first floor people use to get away from the group stall bathroom. So since there is no curtain, the water goes everywhere. One must place their bag of clothes far away from the actual shower so they don't get wet.

Since it is also an accessible shower you have to make the choice of bench down or bench up. Both have it's pros and cons.  I go for bench up (space), but it leaves me to some creative endeavors on how to place hair products and soap places. It's also a little awkward because it's not a normal evening after work for me. So trying to look nice on minimal product, appliances, and what wardrobe can fit in a bag is not a skill that I've mastered yet. I'm sure this will occur several more times over the season and eventually I will get a curtain for that damned rod. I packed up all my stuff, double checked that I didn't forget anything and did the quick walk out of the room.

The only odd glance was when walking back out to my car to place my towel and bag in the trunk. The look was "ummn why are you carrying a towel?" My nerdiest answer would be quipping back about the Hitchhikers Guide. In reality, I just shuffled out to the car, put everything in,  walked across the parking lot for my egg sandwich and then it was just another day at the office.