This past week I've been able to enjoy a run and a cross-training work out with one of my best friends, Suzie. Even though we don't naturally run the same pace (by that I mean that neither the paces at which we are most mechanically efficient nor the paces that we are actually in shape for right now exactly match up), we make a pretty damn good team. Typically she pushes me to go a little bit faster and I push her to go a little bit farther. Even more importantly, running with one of my best friends is awesome because I can tell her anything and everything while we are out on the road. We do talk a lot about running, but we also talk about life - partners, work, problems, joys, and the miles usually fly by while we do. No matter how much we talk to each other we never run out of things to say unless we are out of breath or too exhausted to talk and then we fall into a comfortable silence.
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| After finishing the Madison Half-Marathon together last May |
Although we hit it off right away when we first met, I'm sure that running made us even closer friends than we might have otherwise become. S. and I ran together quite a bit last fall and spring, but we spent most of this past summer in different locations and our schedules and my injury didn't allow us to run much together in the fall. I realized just how much I had missed that when we met up for a little 3 miler last Tuesday morning. It was just getting light and it was cold but clear as the light came up. We chatted about my trip to Chicago and the start to our semesters, and we spotted two deer on the local paved trail we were running along. It was time well spent with one of my favorite people doing one of my favorite things.
We were planning to run together again yesterday, but I was feeling under the weather, so we postponed our next work out date to tomorrow. I'm hoping that this semester our schedules continue to line up a bit better than they did in the fall and that we're able to run together at least once a week if not twice and do cross training together once a week. While I value my solo runs and work outs and those with a bigger group of local runners, I get so much out of my runs with my best friend.
Have you ever run with a close friend? Do you have any friendships that you feel were cemented by doing something together - running, playing squash, lifting weights, going to early morning mysore practices together?
Yes solo runs are amazing, but there is just a different bond that comes with those that we run with. Irreplaceable.
ReplyDeleteThe only person I have ever really ran with is you. I miss those runs and hope we can get back to them after Baby is born.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find interesting is the ability to open up and share things with other runners. Things we might not even share with out closest friends. Example: You were one of the first (other than family) to find out I was pregnant. I told you in one of our runs. :) The only other friend I told? Another runner. :)
I look forward to being able to run with you again, as well. And yes, I agree that there is something about sweating through miles with someone that creates bonds and makes us feel like we can share our secrets with other runners.
DeleteI run alone a lot but do enjoy some with a group of people as well. I can't say I have that one single close person because it's usually a group of at least 4 but often those miles to tick by quickly!
ReplyDeleteI like to run alone at least some of the time, but I also love to run with others. I'm lucky that my partner runs, because we can exercise and put in some quality time together, especially on busy days. I've also found that since I moved to a new place, meeting new friends for a run is a great way to speed up the getting-to-know-you process. All that talking for all those miles adds up! Plus it's cheaper than the bar.
ReplyDeletethats cool that you have your bestie to run with, its always so much easier to exercise when you have a buddy! speaking of which I really need to go to the gym this week lol!
ReplyDeleteAfter years of running almost exclusively by myself, I'm so excited to have a new running buddy here in Texas. And it's been great fun running with my friend JD when I'm in Michigan.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that Matt will ever get into running again (he ran a lot when he was younger), but we love to go walking together and I swear, I am THISCLOSE to buying him a yoga mat. Am I crazy? I can't help but wonder if yoga is perceived as emasculating, despite the number of male yoga teachers out there. Anyone have any thoughts on yoga and gender?
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DeleteIn Madrid my experience was that men usually made about 1/4 - 1/3 of the students in my classes. When I lived in a bigger city in the US, there were pretty much always several guys at my yoga classes and one or two (out of maybe 5-10 people) at mysore practices. Of course, Ashtanga may tend to attract more men because it is perceived as a physically challenging series. I have yet to check out the local studio here to get a sense of how gendered the scene is there.
DeleteI've only had the pleasure of running with a friend twice. In 2010 we were both training for RnR Vegas, but she lives in VA and I in TN. She just happened to be in town visiting family and we were able to run our 14 miler together. And then back in November, I went to VA to visit that same friend, and I ran her two-mile shakeout run with her the day before her half-marathon. It was awesome both times. :)
ReplyDeleteI feel like I miss out on running buddies. Swim buddies just aren't as close since we can only talk at the walls and during longer kick sets. Sounds like a great match!
ReplyDeleteRunning with a friend is great. Running with a BEST friend is better! One of my running beasties moved out of state last year and I missed those shared times so much. Glad you are getting some quality time with your bestie!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, dear friend!! Having you to run with has gotten me out the door SO many times that I would have otherwise just succumbed to lethargy and laziness. Our runs enrich my life so much, and I cherish how our friendship has deepened because of the shared experience. I thought about those deer a number of times since; what a lovely moment!
ReplyDeleteI started running with another girl (who I met through another runner) last spring. It has been awesome! Unfortunately, she's moving this summer (military). I'm trying not to think about it. Good running friends are so hard to find!
ReplyDeleteI have a fabulous friend who I know only because we became training partners. And I had a friend in high school who I know I was closer with because of cross country. It's amazing what all those miles can do for a friendship!
ReplyDeleteI love running with Amber Yake. We connected through running on our blogs, and trained for our Portland marathon 'together' (but virtually). Our first actual run together was a taper run in Victoria. I got to run with her twice when she visited me last summer which was fabulous. We can talk about anything and everything so the miles just fly by!! I wish she lived closer!
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