Runners and cyclists along the W&OD Trail are either really into guys with beards, or somehow mesmerized by that amount of scruff flying by on a Saturday morning.

In a normal week, I would have shaved Wednesday before going in for my final shift of the week. But since I was sick and didn’t go to work, there was little reason to get out the razor. Add in a few off days since then, and I went out for a six mile run this morning having not shaved in a week.

It was a glorious September morning with cool temperatures and abundant sunshine, meaning everyone and their brother were out exercising. It may have just been in my head, but it seemed like more people than usual were breaking their straight ahead running looks to peek in my direction. I wasn’t wearing a funny hat or singing along to the songs in my head, so the only natural explanation is the beard.

Entering the last mile I had decided I would probably write this entry, and made a mental note to take a picture of the scruff. But somewhere between finishing the run and eating some yogurt I forgot. So as an example, here’s a picture from a few years ago:

If I had to guess, I would say that’s roughly three to four days of growth (for me, not the dog). It also appears that I may have been purposely rocking that look since the neck region is not taking part in the scruff party. Add a few days to that, with roughly 15 percent more of the lumberjack look, and you start to get an idea of what I had going on.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course.

When I was working in Jacksonville, shaving was quite low on my list of priorities for the overnight weekend shifts and I looked like that all the time. But then again, for a good chunk of those work days I was the only person in the building.

It’s not like the televisions, empty chairs or the police scanner cared that I was channeling my inner Paul Bunyan, and much of my interaction with the small group of coworkers was done either in a dark room or by talking to them through a headset.

People may be drawn to the facial hair, but I’m pretty sure they can’t hear it in my voice.