Run for Boston 5k & what running means to me.

My good friend Kelly is currently spending every waking minute working on the Run for Boston 5k https://www.facebook.com/RunForBoston5k. This is an official or virtual event, so choose whichever suits you best. 100% of the registration fees goes to the official Boston Charity, so go ahead, stop reading this and sign up now. http://runforboston5k.eventbrite.com/

 
As part of reminding ourselves what the Boston Marathon or running means to us, bloggers have been asked to submit a post about their own running experience. So heres mine.

Clearly, Ill never run Boston, but Im as sure as sugar that Ill be in the crowd on the finish line one day. I picked up running the same way as everyone else did, to get in shape, but I also wanted to meet people and make new friends and boy did I do that.

So ok, I cant keep up with the majority but I like to hurl abuse at them as they run past me and they laugh right back, cos thats the one thing runners have, a kick ass sense of humor. I mean, what kinda people get up at 4am to go and run 3 miles? or to drive 2 hours to a 13.1 mile race only to turn around and drive home again. Its insane right? Well no. Thats not how runners see it and thats not how I see it.

If I arrange to meet with someone at 6am to run 4 miles and avoid the heat, then I try my hardest to be there, no matter how exhausted I am. I DO NOT want to let anyone down. I feel responsible for their workout aswell as my own. I dont want to change their plans just so I can sleep longer and I dont want to be left high and dry myself. I always prefer to run with a partner or two, then alone.

So imagine this, you've arrived to meet your running group at 6am on a beautiful but chilly Sunday morning when you could have easily hit snooze after having a few margharitas the night before. You realise you've forgotten your gloves, at least 3 people will always have a spare pair and are totally willing to give you them, or even remove them from their own shivery fingers so that you can wear them. WHO DOES THAT? Normal friends dont do that, they tell you to suck it up or shrug their shoulders at you. Runners will purposely stock up their cars with "just in case you forget shit" just so they can share it. We are a rare breed. We can be compared to new mums who over pack their bags just in case the newborn needs a week's full of crap during a 20minute dash for milk and bread.

So could you find a more sincere or caring friend, well yes maybe, could you rely on them, probably. If they don't run and don't understand the attraction of running, would you be life long friends?    hmm ....well thats a different story. So if you aren't a runner and need to expand your circle of friends consider trying it. You'll hate the running part but the side effects are pretty awesome. :)