I cherish my runner friends!! I love the camaraderie and I view it as the best part of running, but it wasn't always that way. I have always loved to run, especially early in the morning and up until a few years ago I usually ran alone. I ran my first marathon in 2006 by myself and it never occured to me that it should be any other way. I rode the bus to the starting line alone and crossed the finish line alone and I never had a second thought about it. When we moved to Las Cruces, NM in 2007, I met an awesome fellow runner. She introduced me to a small runner group and I slowly learned to love group runs. I really enjoyed the long talks. I have never been the type to have long conversations on the phone or hang out with girlfriends talking about every detail of life. I have to admit, though, running encouraged me to open up. After a few years, we moved from New Mexico to Maryland and I never really found a group that ran at the same times I was available, though, I didn't try very hard. I ran the Richmond, VA marathon shortly after moving there and I was missing my runner friends. Even though my family was waiting for me at the finish line, I missed friends to talk with along the way. Later that year, I ran a half marathon in DC by myself and that was the end of running alone for me! It really hit home that day just how much I love having a friend to run with....
Now, in AZ, I have resumed my life-long-love of running. I haven't joined a running group, but I found a great runner friend; a neighbor with the same love of running and impossible mother-issues. We live for the last minute "want to run in the morning?" texts and can talk about the local school issues. We aren't setting any records, but that's what I love about it!
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