So You Think You Can -Walk-

Running.  BANG! The gun goes off and 145 runners sprint onto the course. With little starting room, and a vicious pace, these runners still manage not to run into each other. What a wonderful thing!

How is it that at the starting line of a race the flood of determined runners in a contained area maintain their space, by staying up-right, and not crashing into another runner, but little ol’ ME tries to walk across campus, and crashes into more people than can be counted on one hand??

Walking. This my friends is no ordinary task; this is an art that must be mastered.

I love running. I've been a die hard runner now for about 2 1/2 years. When I run, I'm free. My path is clear. I dodge people like bullets. No big deal. It doesn't even phase me. Walking, however, complicates everything. There are many things to consider- if I pass someone, will I clip their heel because they aren't going fast enough? When someone is directly in my path do I move right, left, continue going straight, or turn around and run the other way? You tell me.

All I know, from my observation, most people walk like this:

Moving from point A to point B 

                                        

I walk like this:

It’s the funniest thing. I've tried so hard to master walking. When I run with other people I can feel which direction they are  planning on going, before they turn. It must be a runners vibe. I've decided that the ‘vibe’ does not work with walking. For example, while walking I may consciously believe my company and I are turning, but instead of turning as a group, I just walk directly into someone. This... is awkward. Doing this once isn't too bad, it’s the third time it happens when an explanation is needed.

A following conversation might sound like this:  "Sorry I crashed into you three times.  I’m really not blind.  I know how to walk. I promise I'm not trying to crash into you on purpose.”   Mmmhmmm - that goes over well. 

So. You think you can walk? Probably. You are probably very capable of walking without running into people. Good for you. :) In all honesty, I may have dramatized this a little. I don't crash into people that often, but still, it happens. I do the ‘left- right- left- right-stand still-walking dance’ until the other person walks around me. It always makes me chuckle inside. 

For all my fellow inhibited walking friends, don't worry! People think it's funny we can't walk in a straight line -so should you. :)

For all my perfectly normal walking friends- please be patient with those of us who could run your socks off, but can't walk in a straight line. 

Enjoy your ridiculous day!

Liz