My Buddies and Me

[Sandy]

The Running and Racing Report

     John Bingham talks in his article No need for Speed about Running Buddies and the purpose they serve in his running life which got me thinking about my own running buddies.  My buddies range in age from early twenties to late sixties, and with the exception of the odd male, they are female. The core group of women have been together as a group for 14 years, starting out with walking and moving into running as fitness levels, goals and competitive spirits have increased and for some moving back into walking as life and aging became the focus.  In the beginning there was a drive to improve, to race and compete, if only against ourselves, our ever increasing age and decreasing times.  Lately though we have begun to settle, to be happy with the status quo, to be less interested in racing and maybe even running and more interested in the act of getting together.
     My running pals have seen each other through potty training (their kids), weight gain and loss (their own), infidelities, divorce, teenagers, jobs gained and lost, cancer scares, treatments and looming treatments.  We have laughed together, cried together and entertained each other. We have gathered as a group, originally twice a week, then once a week as busy lives and families take precedence and now as empty nesters dominate three times a week but always manage to make time for each other on special occasions, monumental accomplishments and ?just because? we are in need of that special brand of support only those you have sweat with can provide.
     It has been stated that as a group we appear intimidating but we are open and encouraging of anyone wanting to join in; male or female, young or old; and we have recently grown to a core group of about 25 members running, walking, pushing babies and trotting with dogs.  Individually we have run everything from 5k to 160k with the help and support of one another by being available for long or fast runs, by providing sustenance like ju jubes or cookies or just listening to a race post mortem.
     I started out as a lone runner, slogging out mile after mile by myself and have discovered over time that the best thing about running is in fact running with my buddies at whatever speed and distance suits our mood, as long as it?s slow enough that we can chat about life, ourselves and things that are or are not important.  In this age of racing through life, of multimedia and devices that remove us from human interaction time spent running or walking with one or many of my buddies clears my head, my heart and provides the pause that refreshes.  My buddies have shown me with great clarity that life is not only about the journey but who you share the journey with.


     At the Toronto Women?s 5k Jessica Wheeler ran 36:05, Margaret Christie (33:25) while in the 8k Annie Bedard and Helma Oonk crossed the line in 53:22, Teri Dittmann (39:58) and Jennifer Johnson (56:21).

[patti]

I love my running buddies too... i think you might know some of them!!!

patti

[Newt]

Ditto,

It's good to have buddies.

Peace
Peter

[Jon]

I could use some running buddies - I've said it before, you guys are fortunate to have each other.

[David]

Very nice and oh so true.

[Jane]

Oh, Sandy, you are going to make me cry!  It has been a great "run" with the group, since day one in October 1997 when we started out walking from V.P. Carswell, and then running, and then doing both, or whatever we have felt like doing at the moment.  It's been quite the "marathon" hasn't it?  

I don't know what I would do without our running group.  You are all more than just running friends.  As you've said, we've all been through a lot together, good and bad.  There is an amazing amount of strength in our group and we have all helped out each other in one way or another over the years.  You all mean alot to me -- the women I've run, walked, talked, laughed and cried with, whether you've been with us for one, five, ten or the full fourteen years.  Thanks to everyone for bringing your own special qualities to our group!  

P.S.  I think we need to do a big 15-year celebration next year (possibly involving running?   )

[Nancie]

Jane,  you could make me cry too.   You both summed up all my feelings about how important you all have become in my life.
I am a relatively new buddy to the group starting in 2005 running my first County 1/2.  And then it just kept spiralling from there.  I never planned on running a full marathon or another or another.   Sandy kept telling me I could do it and I believed her!!   It's really hard to believe I will be running my 3rd Boston Marathon in 2012.   Never even dreamed about running one!.   
The support of the group and all the fun & laughs we have enjoyed over the years has meant more to me than anything.   

It's always a lot of fun to have a new runner join our group and then try to encourage them to keep it going or pay it forward!
Heck let's face it some of us will be Senior citzens soon.  Not to say we can't hold our own out there on the pavement or ion the trails!
You are all the best therapy ever,
Nancie