Freaky Friday - You know you're a runner when...

... you're wearing compression socks to the office today. After all, it IS casual friday. And you are wearing them underneath your jeans. Plus you didn't have to think twice about putting them on this morning when getting dressed.

... you're also wearing MBT shoes to the office today. Yep, MBT shoes. That's right, the fugly ones. Why? Your knee and lower legs are in pain from the high mileage in the last weeks of marathon training, and your PT promised you that these shoes would help. Paired with some flared jeans you barely notice that these babies aren't regular sneakers. At least, that's what you think. Ofcourse, your co-workers noticed the total fugliness of these babies within seconds, and now they are calling you either 'Bigfoot' or 'Sporty Spice'. And you tell yourself that they are the nutty ones.

They actually look less ugly when I'm wearing them...promise!

... you keep the Stick in your desk drawer for emergency purposes. You'll never know when acute muscle cramps will occur, and you want to be prepared.

... you have actually gotten used to the soreness that comes with the last weeks of marathon training. You tell yourself it's 'good pain'. Ofcourse, when you tell your (non running) friends about this, they look at you in utter shock.

... when given the choice of shopping the designer boutiques of Köln (Germany) this weekend or shopping the marathon expo, you choose the marathon expo. Without a doubt. And this from a girl that used to trot around in designer high heels. You're actually looking forward to meeting the Saucony Recovery Sleep Suit in real life.

... you refer to a 35 mile / 56 km week as a slow easy peasy rest week. And you truly feel that way about it. You don't get why others think you're insane for (i) training for a marathon and (ii) getting nervous if you're running less than 50 miles / 80 km in a peak week. You honestly don't get it.

... you get into an ice bath without someone forcing you to. Enough said.