Thanks runners! (Read 539 times)

So I'm kind of a loner when I run. I never run with anyone and I don't see a lot of people for the most part. I give a nod or wave when I pass people and stuff but that's about it. I don't even know any other runners. You people are my only real connection to running! So I decide to go out to the local 11 mile loop here where all the bikers and runners go early in the morning. I'm building up my mileage so I was going to do an easy 5. I started warming up, decided to do some stride and my legs were just 'there'. So by stride number four I kind of decide that I'm going to just do mile repeats at a comfortably hard pace and see what happens. (or at least one...heh) I'm on call but didn't want to carry my phone so this works out for me. I'll go out a mile and then back, check the phone, repeat. I didn't really pay attention to pace or recovery in between, I just let the legs kind of go and do their thing. 6:47 out, 6:42 back. I took the 3rd one easy 7:42 on the dirt trail and I'm just standing around sweating a lot and walking it off and this man and woman come by smiling and saying hi and the guy says "All done for the day huh?!" and I kind of laugh and say "Almost, one more!" So now I'm thinking "Done?? Oh hell no I'm not doing another easy one now!" So I go back in 6:41. About 200 meters from the end I come up on them and try to pass on the left and she drifts a little so I say "On your left" and startled the hell out of them. We laughed I apologized and kept going. After the end I'm kind of walking it off and they end up coming over to me and saying hi. They start talking about not hearing me coming at all, and that I glide, look effortless (really??), my heels don't touch the ground, and they're genuinely curious about me and my running and asking about my stride, mechanics, and everything else. I think I stuttered a few times there. We talked about distances and me maybe doing a nearby half, which I think I might do now even though my main focus is 5K....we talked about the joy of running, injuries and staying healthy... it was just cool. I was really happy with my splits today given my running lately and yet, I'm more happy because I had a chat with a couple of random strangers. I don't know. It was like an instantaneous camaraderie with genuinely nice people that I just met. It really made me smile and made my day. I may have to join a running club now! Well, thanks for listening to me ramble. I just kind of wanted to share. Thanks runners!

Runners is good people. I'm actually a lot closer to Woburn, home of the Shamrock Running Club. I've done a few of their races and fun runs and enjoyed every one of them. Their illustrious membership includes MileCollector, mikeymike and bdanehy among others. I've met Bill the founder a couple of times, and he could sell ice cubes in Siberia so resistance is probably futile.

You can add EGH3 to the Shamrock running list . Although the folks you mentioned are WAY faster and more experienced than I am. That's the beauty of the club though. Lots of different experience levels. I just a ran with the group this morning for the first time in like 8 weeks. I missed running with people. Still love my solo runs but it's nice to get out with a group. And I learn a lot just watching some of the other runners that are more experienced. Bill's a great guy. Drove me into town for the BAA Half marathon and was the loudest cheerleader at the water stop. Really good peeps.