A couple of months ago, back when I was training for my first half marathon of the year, I went out for my Saturday morning run. A not too shabby 18km on this particular day. I had gone about 2km's when a runner fell in place next to me.
"Nice day for it", he said.
"I'm glad," I said "I still have a long way to go."
And that started a bit of a chat. Turns out he was about half way through a 30km training run, was training for the up coming Gold Coast Marathon and was registered for all the up coming fun runs I was doing. He talked about his training regime, and about some reading he had been doing about marathon nutrition. Suddenly I'd gone 10km, at a much faster pace than usual and not even noticed. Sadly I had to turn back at that point, but he'd already set me on such a fast pace that I kept it up, with a smile on my face, all the way home, feeling so motivated about the weeks to come.
Some may find it a bit odd that I would chat to a stranger for so long. But see, runners are like that, and it seemed natural to me.
Fast forward a couple of months and I hit Mad May . That month was just so inspiring for me. Smashing my half marathon PB and then doing it again was awesome, but it was more than that. It was sharing it with my big sister as well as, week after week, running along side people who shared the same joy in their pursuit.
The thing about running is that it is so personal. Every time you go for a run, you are doing it for yourself and you only have yourself to beat. It makes it so easy to encourage others, and encourage is what any runner will do.
I have competed in 7 running type events so far this year, and the comraderie shared in each always makes me smile. Things like; having a fellow runner tell you you are doing an awesome job as they run past you at the 18km mark of a race; or having my sister finish a run and then start running back down a summit to run my last 500m up hill with me, and have another runner barrel past us with a big smile on his face saying "I'm glad I'm not the only one heading back down to finish with someone"; to see the smiles on individual faces at the end of a race, in large groups, congratulating one another; or even just the supporters who come out to watch their mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter or friend finish a race time after time....and cheer everytime. These things are amazing.
I guess in short what I am trying to say, is that running makes me happy. So after having already had so much fun this year, doing something I love, it was so natural that I should decide, yet again, to aim for that marathon goal. And that is where I am at. Yet again staring down the barrel of several weeks ahead of long training runs. But I know this time it is all about mental strength, the strength to get my shoes on on a cold dark morning and head off all on my own for a 30, or 35km jaunt. Because honestly once I am out that door and have started feeling my feet on the pavement, I can't wipe the smile off my face.
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