Do you have a running buddy?

For over a year I was the lonely runner. I ran by myself morning, noon and night. My only running companion was my two year old who would ride in the jogger as I panted and sweat when I pushed her. I talked with other runners who thought I was crazy for running by myself. What!? How can you do that? Don't you get bored? I never thought I was bored because I had been a singular runner for so long. And quite frankly I didn't think that I was cut out for running with other people.

The few times that I ran with my wife there would be sprinkles of conversation nudged between long gaps of silence. How could people talk? I needed all the oxygen I could get and I certainly didn't want to use up more by talking about the weather. Plus I never knew what to talk about. So..... looks like it's gonna rain today huh? 

I admired people who could run with a partner. I certainly believed that by talking for the entire run that it could make the time go by quicker. Earlier this year as I was setting out my clothes for an early morning run the next day I simply got fed up. I needed some help, some motivation to get me through the thirteen miles I was planning to run in less than eight hours. 

I called up a friend who is a part of a running club ad asked her the location and time that the group was meeting. Ever since then I have never looked back.

Running with a group/buddy has opened my eyes to a whole new world. 

1. Running with others makes you accountable.
2. Someone else can understand your running struggles.
3. You can motivate one another.
4. They become a new group of friends.
5. Time flies when you chit chat for two hours.

I haven't gone back to running by myself because there hasn't been a need to. Once marathon training starts, and I'll need to pick up some extra miles there will be times when I have to run alone. And those will be the runs when I'll miss running with the group.