Meet The Dirty Girls

Friday, after dropping Nora Jane off at school, I drove to McCormick Forest in Gig Harbor where I met up with The Dirty Girls.  The Dirty Girls are a group of women who like running, trails, and mud.  I had heard about this running group from the Route 16 Running Store and thought they sounded like my kinda people.

By the time I arrived at the parking area, however, the girls had already set out. So, not sure which trail to take, I opted for the one "to the right."  I'm not sure why, I guess it just looked "more open."  Just a short distance ahead, I encountered the first group of Dirty Girls, complete with the official "Dirty Dog," a Doberman decked out in a jacket to keep warm.  These ladies referred to themselves as "the slow group" and I was about to settle in with them when a second group, aka the faster paced group, met up with us via another trail.  Someone called out, "this is Sonja,  a new girl!"  I felt like a kid, on my first day at  a new elementary school.  But these girls, too, were all smiles.  So, I said hi and fell in with them.  

So, just who are The Dirty Girls?

Well, Gwen and Nicole seemed to be the co-leaders of the pack, or, at least, co-navigators.  Gwen, with braids bouncing off her shoulders, was up front calling out directions as she lead us through the woods,  warning us of upcoming dangers (i.e. roots, rocks) on the trail.  Nicole did the same, but from the rear.  She seemed quieter than Gwen, but mentioned that she's recovering from a kidney infection and in her own words,  was "feeling the burn."  Well, no wonder!  

In the middle, were Rebecca and Meredith, who also is recovering from kidney surgery.  So when I mentioned that I, too, am trying to "get back into shape," they said I had come to the right place.  And I think they were right.  I don't know the last time I found myself around such positive,  encouraging women.  Several times during the run, we passed the first group and they all cheered each other on, even high-fiving as we shared the trail on a hill.  

And there was good conversation;  except up one big hill, then it got pretty quiet.   Meredith  said they mostly talk about food, sex, and something else.....I don't know why I can't remember the third one. Something about memory loss, perhaps?  But, they talked about everything:  food, husbands, injuries, physical therapy exercises, piriformis pain.  Piriformis pain!   I felt like I was home...

So, as you can see, I am so glad  I made the drive to Gig Harbor.  I am so glad I didn't just go run Point Defiance, like usual.  Because it was such a great morning, even though, near the end of our run, Rebecca said to me, "Can you slow down?"  and then turned to Meredith and asked, "Can you lead?" 

Oops!  


Hopefully they won't hold that against me, though, because I CAN'T WAIT to run with them again.  I mean Meredith said she likes coffee, running, and wine!  We are DEFINITELY gonna be friends!  :)  

Maybe next time we'll even encounter some mud, or that VERY BIG PUDDLE I heard all about.  


xoxo--
Sonja