The running community is a truly truly funny place. This is a community where people openly talk about things like runner's trots, chaffing, and sweat soaked undies. This is a community that thrives on supporting others, and receiving motivation in return. This is a community that accepts others openly - no matter where you are in your fitness or training. Run, and they will welcome you with open arms. Lastly, this is a community that is bound together by a common bond so significant that we all feel like we really know each other. We can follow each other's workouts on Daily Mile or read the blogs and we actually feel like we're friends. When you really think about it, it's bizarre. But for us? It's not so bizarre.
For example, I have been friends with Jan on DM for a while, and I've been reading/commenting on her blog (which you should all do, too). And we've been talking about races in other states and how we should travel to one. We've never met in person, and yet we're talking about traveling... to a race... together. Think about that. It SOUNDS so weird.
Also, I've been starting to think that my goal for the future (maybe 2012, maybe 2013) is one of those epic relay races. The three people I've talked to about it are Jess, Janae, Katie, and Jan. Out of these four awesome women, I have only met one in person. That one is Katie, who I went to high school with, but we were never even close friends. But here's the thing about this weird common bond - it wouldn't be *that* weird for us to do a crazy relay race together. It doesn't matter that most of us haven't met, we all have similar goals and mindsets and we're all INSANE enough to watch a trailer like the one for the Hood to Coast movie and go "I WANT TO DO THAT."
(Just in case you don't know what I'm talking about.)
It's such a cool community. It's so crazy and so different but these people become so important to you after a while. It's really impossible to describe in a way that others will understand, but if you are a runner, you WILL understand. And it's so contradictory because as we're doing our miles alone on the road, you would think that we would feel so isolated. But I have the words of other runners in my head. I'm thinking about what Janae will eat for dessert. I'm wondering how everyone else's runs are going. It's an odd bond, but it's one I am incredibly grateful for.
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Recent workouts:
Friday - 5 mile run in 1:05
Saturday - rest
Sunday - 4.1 mile run in 0:51
Favorite running songs of the day:
"I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys
"The Distance" by Cake
"Like a G6" by Far East Movement, Cataracs, and Dev
"When You Were Young" by the Killers
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Awesome, I LOVE this community of crazy runners/ triathletes and I've totally become more motivated because of them :D
ReplyDeleteOMG! I totally get what you are saying. I was talking to someone close to me earlier this week about this phenomenon and how anyone OUTSIDE this community would see it as totally odd. But if you live and breathe it, it's not strange at all. It is like we understand the struggles and the joys. We understand the PRs and the fear of injury. We understand and can forgive the near addiction and the OCD tendencies!
ReplyDeleteI think the blogging has a lot to do with it too. You can easily tell thru a persons words whether or not you could be friends with a person by reading the words they chose to publish.
As for HTC, you could easily talk me into it! It would be totally cool! ;-)
You know, I've been wanting to write down my own feelings about the community, but I can never seem to do it cohesively. Someday...
ReplyDeleteHTC - LET'S DO IT.
I COMPLETELY agree with you! I love this runner-bloggy community, and it was such an inspiration to me during my last race. You are a great writer - very well stated!
ReplyDeleteSo true! Between the Daily Mile and blogging community I am just inspired by the people I have met and am totally down with a 2012 relay! If you can't find a community near you, it's fantastic that there is a way to still meet like-minded and awesome individuals who enjoy the same things as you.
ReplyDelete