Need a Fanny Pack...

I’m going to tell a tragic story. Do not become overwhelmed, there is a great lesson within:

Last year Ada the Dog and I went for a run in the morning. As we left for the run, I clipped a Caribbeaner with my keys on it to Ada the Dog’s leash. We went for a run, and it was mostly uneventful. As we were running through a small park, I heard a strange noise nearby…ping. ping. Ping. Ping.

What was that?

I stopped running and looked around, trying to figure out what I had heard. I then realized something terrible…the “ping” noise was the sound of my keys flying off the leash, one by one. It was still dark out, but through pure luck I was able to find all of my keys…all except my car key.

This is not a recommended way to carry one's keys.

I should pause here to confess to you that I bought my car from a bank after it was repossessed from its previous owner. Therefore, I only had the one key for it. You may think it was very stupid of me to only have one key, but because it was an electronic key, I couldn’t just have it made at any old hardware store. I had to have it made by the dealer, which meant it was around $75. For a key. Okay, maybe normal people wouldn’t have thought that was all that bad, but I love to save money, so I didn’t have an extra key made. I figured I would just have to make sure to not lose the one key that I had. For 4.5 years I used this car with just the one key, with no problem. Until this sad, sad day.

I looked and looked for that key, but couldn’t find it in the dark. I decided to go home, get ready for work, and come back when it was light out. (Thank goodness I have a motorcycle, so I would still be able to get to work that day if I was unable to find the key).

I was posing. In real life I ALWAYS wear a helmet. You should wear a helmet too!!!

After getting ready for work, I headed back to the park and searched and searched. I couldn’t find it anywhere. That night I got soaked in the rain on my motorcycle on my commute home. That weekend I had to hire a locksmith to make me a new key. It cost me a lot more than the $75 I could have paid the dealer for a key when I first got the car.

About a week later, I went running through that same park and saw my shredded Petsmart keychain card…the one that was attached to my car key. (Park Service had mowed the lawn). I knew my key had to be near, so I searched and searched. I walked back and forth, back and forth, looking. I didn’t ever find that key.

You should also know that it was not just the key that went missing…it was the key and the remote lock thingy magigy. Also, you should know that when I had the locksmith come, I didn’t want to pay him an extra $50 for another electronic key, so I still only have the one key.

I implore you people, do NOT clip your keys to your dog leash while you run!

I wonder: How do normal people carry their keys while they run? Right now when I run I have my phone (tracking my miles), Ada the Dog’s leash, my keys, and any hats or mittens that I might have worn on the run that I decided to strip off. It’s ridiculous. And honestly, sometimes it’s hard to take off my hat or mittens because my hands are so full! I just don’t know what to do! Perhaps I’ll have to flashback to the 90s and whip out my neon fanny pack to come along with me while I run. That thing was awesome…I thought at the time.