Miles: 1.0, 2.32, 2.56, 3.07, 4.58, 3.1 and 1.0
Power song: LMFAO Party Rock Anthem (Even I hate to admit that)
Runs dedicated to: Dave

When I first mentioned this challenge to my husband, Dave, he was quiet. Anyone who knows Dave knows that when you mention nearly anything to him, he is quiet.

Unlike me, Dave stores his words like a squirrel storing eggcorns, only using what’s absolutely necessary to get his point across. A typical conversation in our house goes like this:

Me: “Hey babe, about this weekend: I was thinking we could drive out to the country. Maybe go to dinner at that place? Or, no…grill? Make steaks? Stop at Guido’s on the way up…and…let’s ask Shoo and Kyle to come…do you think Eric and Kelly would come? Or maybe we should go to the country alone. Or just stay home and have a quiet weekend without the driving. I could use some alone time with you, it’s been forever since we’ve had a date, right? I just don’t feel like we’ve been connecting. So maybe we’ll stay home. And then we can get it on. Hey now. What do you think?”

Dave:    ”…………………………………………………………………….sure.”

We’ve been together for nine years so I now have the ability to read his silence just as clearly as if we’re actually having a conversation.

For instance, if there’s silence in combination with nail biting, he’s mad at the Giants in general, just Eli Manning or the traffic.

If there’s silence in the context of a great day of outdoor fun, he’s saying that he has to use the facilities and we need to leave immediately.

If there’s silence peppered with rapid eye fluttering, he’s saying,
“Bye babe, I have a 9:30 am. Be good. Love you. I’ll pick up dog food.”

The silence that resulted from first hearing about this challenge was his way of saying: ”Is this going to be like that time you were vegan?” But what he said after that, once he realized that I was serious (and using real words) was,
“I will help you in any way that I can.”

And here’s the thing about Dave and the reason I fell in love with his silence, along with the rest of him: When he does use words, he actually means them.

So to my bridegroom I dedicate my runs. Because last night, instead of being a responsible person and coming home to launder the running clothes I’d run out of, I opted to go out with a few of my ladies and get hopped up on frozen pomegranate margaritas.

Meaning Dave came home to Lu at 6 pm.
And I came home to Dave at 12:30 am, lit up like a candle.
Only to find him sound asleep.
The laundry done.
And my running clothes laid out for me
from my shorts, right down to two pairs of socks so that I don’t get anymore blisters.

And that spoke volumes.