Running Solo

Excuse me for waxing poetic, but it seemed all too appropriate that I ran my longest solo run (thus far) on the eve of my first single Valentine’s day in years. Got me thinking about why it is a challenge (at least, for me) to run solo, be it on a training run or in life.

I remember a friend of mine telling me during a race that simply thinking “I’m alone” can be detrimental when running. And I think the same can easily be said for life.

Running alone is definitely something I haven’t had to do often, and for a number of years, the same could be said for relationships.

But today, instead of dreading the 3hrs alone with myself (after all, I’m pretty sure some countries consider it cruel & unusual punishment), I chose to embrace it.

(Ok, it wasn’t really voluntary… was more like a combination of my stubborn drive to continue training coupled with unavailable running partners. But let’s just pretend it was voluntary & not related to my running addiction…)

And of course, as only life would have it, as soon as I decided to be okay with spending 16 miles sans-posse, I realized I wasn’t alone at all.

And since life=running=life, it seems that the same can be said about my non-running life as well. It took some time thinking I was alone & lonely to realize that even when my friends are not physically with me, they are always with me. They are my real Valentines this year. I love you guys (you know who you are)!