Fitness
Running Buddies | The Long and Short of It
Buddy Up! Partner Running.
Miles: 4 + 37 Harvard Stadium Sections
Song in my head: Journey
Brunch food motivation: Zico Chocolate Coconut Water
This past weekend I went on a run with my running buddy, Meesh. We chose one of our old running haunts. It just felt right again. As we paced around the river and fell into sync with each other chatting about our days and weekends and travels, the cadence of the world seemed to fall into place. I felt in rhythm and ready to ease into Fall. We talked about our retirement from running – really just taking a break from marathoning for awhile, not leaving running, but instead running without training requirements, just whenever our heart desired.* The run was wonderful. The click of each step and falling into step with my running buddy is a feeling I can’t explain. It’s a connection with someone and the world around you. It’s something that makes me feel wholly me and connected to the world. It’s my favorite place to be. We wended our way around the Charles River, chatting and stepping in tune. At the end of the run, we stretched and sprawled out on the floor.
With her training for marathons and me being sidelined with injury, we hadn’t been on a buddy run in way too long, longer than I’d like to admit. And I needed it. I needed it to push me forward into Fall.
Partner training continued into Wednesday. Wednesday, The November Project workout was dubbed RelayMan and you partnered with another to relay run the stadiums. Every 5 stadiums you would tag in your partner. It was a different feeling to be able to see their face at the top of the steps, knowing someone was waiting for you there. Knowing you have someone there to get to, to pace with, to cheer for is something truly special.
Human Connection.
That’s what I love most about November Project. It’s what I love most about DFMC and running groups and community. It’s the human connection. You need a community or just someone to pull you back into the rhythm that sets your soul on fire. You need someone who brings out you, who reminds you of the unique, quirky, fun-loving self that brings out the best for the world. The world needs a little happiness. It needs a little you. My workout running buddies do that for me.
Instagram that week also showed posts of inspiration dedicated to the people that helped them grow into the athletes and runners and humans they were meant to become. You need people on this running journey to pick you up when you get knocked down, to make you laugh, to accompany you on the road ahead, and to just have bright nonsense with.
Pacers.
In Breaking2, Nike attempted to break the 2 hour marathon mark. Many runners scoffed at all of the engineering behind the event, as opposed to keeping running to its purest form, unexpected weather conditions, simple clothes and all. One thing fascinated me about that day, the idea that groups of pacers would come in and out during the race, every three miles a fresh group of runners would swap in. I loved this idea. A fresh group of pacers coming in to keep you moving forward.
I’ve been hitting a steady 9:46 pace around the river. Every single time. 9:46 I will end you.
“As for you, pour your time and passion into what brings you the most joy, your mission in life.” – Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
“October is about trees revealing colors they’ve hidden all year. People have an October as well.” – J.M. Storm
Go out and grab a buddy. We have a lot of changing and journeying to do.
*The “Retired Runners Club (RRC)” is really just what we call ourselves, but most still train for DFMC and run almost every day, and have signed up for other races. So we’re doing really great on that retired thing.
