A Runner's Story

My sister-in-law, the same one who hasn't updated her playlist in over a year (eh, hmm), lives in NYC and runs in Central Park.  When shes training for a marathon, which she does often, she runs two and sometimes three grueling laps around the same six mile loop.  As much as she loves running, she tends to dread the long runs.  Music and NPR help her pass the miles, but there is only so much a iPod can do.  Yesterday, she'd run six miles and she was getting ready for her second lap when she stopped at a light to wait for it to turn.  Another waiting runner looked at her and said, "sorry I almost spit on you back there".  They both laughed and started talking.  After the initial pleasantries, they started to dive into other topics, one being the forefoot running style the he'd recently switched to.  He then mentioned he was meeting a friend but asked her if she'd like to join them for her second loop.  She was quick to say yes and happily put her iPod away.  Time flew while the three of them were running, chatting, and comparing stories and in what felt like no time, they'd finished their lap.  They said their goodbyes and all agreed to try and find each other again soon for another run.  My sister-in-law called to tell me about this run for several reasons; first, she was psyched she'd done a 12 miler, second, it wasn't boring for a change and third, she'd met some cool people that shared her interest in running.  Oh, and as a bonus, she'd learned a different route through the park.  Running, even for the most passionate runners, can be hard to mentally take on some days.  Stories like this remind us why we do it, and that most runners have a lot in common, including their love for the sport and an appreciation for the little things that make it worthwhile.

Listen to this:
Can't Keep Time - Foreign Born