Which is kind of ironic considering one of the things I'm most proud of from the job I had at the time was starting a running group which created friendships I will always treasure.
But I'm a solo runner. Even while training for the NYC Marathon I ran the vast majority of my training runs, and all my long runs, alone. I know I'm not the only one who's chosen to run alone because I didn't want to slow others down.
As part of my year of run discovered I've not only been exploring new places through running, but I've also embraced the fact that running with other people can bring a lot of good to my life and my running.
When I do meet up with someone else for a run, if they tell me "I'm going to be slow" I don't care. First, they probably aren't as slow as they think they are. And second, for me, more than not it's not about hitting a specific pace it's about connecting.
Truth is, we're all good enough, strong enough, fast enough. We just have to believe in ourselves. And we can work towards goals while still being proud of where we are. We might be in different places than the people we run with - on the road or in life - but that doesn't mean we can't just let go for an hour and enjoy the company of someone else who also loves the run.
Turns out, even for a solo runner, it can be a lot of fun if we just let it be. And it can also help us become a better runner.
 |
| Photo Credit: Amanda Brooks |
You might run faster and farther than me, but I am proud of the eight miles I ran on Saturday - my longest run in quite a while. (4 with Matt, 4 on my own)
What's your running style? * Where has your running been taking you lately?
No comments:
Post a Comment