Can I talk to you about something?-----a runner's dilemma

                 What's hardest about being in loooooove with all things to do with running is the sheer inability to just break out and talk about running with....well, most people....it's pretty torturous holding in the desire to just hear myself and others talking about my most favorite subject. Sadly, one can't just naturally break into conversation about running and have it sound seamless or NORMAL.......most people hear the word 'running' and they go on directly to tell you about how the sport has messed up their knees or about how they use to do track.....many, many decades ago. When the word "knees" come into the same conversation as the topic of "running" you know the conversation is going straight to an undesirable direction. 

                     Lately, I have been feeding my need to run-cialize by directly going into the Facebook page called Women's Running Network and just immersing myself in the many, many questions and comments that have all to do about running and that are constantly being refreshed....WRN is a site with questions and conversations, pictures and memes about paces, routes, sneakers, gear, chafing, races, etc; it's quite fun. But you know what? every once in a while it would just be nice to converse, face-to-face, with a human being about running...unfortunately, I do not like running with others, rendering that  perfect golden opportunity null. (Truth is, I would rather stick a needle in my eye than run with others. )I would not trade my alone, peaceful, before-sunrise runs for anything. I already hate small talk on its own, also, every run I've ever had with others has felt just like that,  like a forced, long and torturous exercise in small talk after small talk after small talk, no thanks!

                 I guess this is where this blog comes in. Simply seeing that others are reading what I share in these pages and clicking on from countries all over the world makes me feel a sense of connection with all runners and the larger running community. Thank you for being part of this journey with me. 

When and who we talk to about running...

       Do any of you contain yourself when you talk about running to non-runners? I do. There is this little voice inside my head that will begin warning me within minutes of talking about any of my running accomplishments with a non-runner. It will whisper things like, "they don't care" to me or, "don't you see their eyes rolling!!?". I grew up with an older brother that was very humble and looked down upon bragging. As a young child I adopted his ways and to this day see bragging as a desperate attempt to get attention, so I try my best not to delve into my favorite of all subjects, running. 
       
          I think God daily that I have a handful of people in my life that I can talk 'running' with. It very much can seem like a totally different language. there are words and phrases like paces, taper, PR, BQ, fartleks, chafe, hit-the-wall, base, kick, single-track...and on and on and on. Who do you talk running with? 

Are YOU a runner? Tell me all about it....!!!

                              I am very curious about other runners. In all settings I am always super aware of spotting other runners. Usually, and lucky for me, they are pretty easy to spot. Either they are wearing something that tells me they too run, such as a race shirt or a running watch and instantly I have all these questions that I am dying to ask them. How often do you run?, do you run races?, do you cross train? what running books have you read?. I try to contain my excitement, yet, it's somewhat amusing just how excited I get every time I meet another runner, the kinship I feel to the community in general is very strong. Lucky for me, most runners are also JUST as eager to talk on and on and on about running, so it's not like I come across like a crazy lady to them.....Meeting other runners and talking to them about running saves non-runners from being subjected endless chatter on my end about my running obsessions. I heard somewhere it's a bit rude to just come out and fill every conversation with a non-runner with your running narratives, but in conversations other runners this rule is null and void. It's not like it's fun to talk to non-runners about running anyway. Most running conversations with non-runners will undoubtedly lead to some warning on their part about how unsafe running is for your legs, or about how you get shin-splints and how it ruins your knees. Therefore, I try my best to avoid any run talk with non-runners as much as possible, unless they ask, in which case, I am more than willing to chat away. 

Days off.....missing the run

                      Days off feel nice and restful until about 11am, and then I start feeling like I should be out there on the road, sweating. Not out of guilt, I stopped being a Catholic years ago, but out of craving the feeling I get when running. I do like the free time I get though. I am having breakfast this morning with a wonderful woman I use to work with 4 years ago and I am so excited to hear how she's been doing. When I last saw her I was a size 18, desperately depressed on the inside because of my weight and simply unable to figure out how to go about shedding the extra pounds. I am so glad my hubby runs too so at least I have someone to chat unendingly to about running. Most of my friends are not into running and I often find myself holding back my excitement about running around them in order to not come across like a crazy lady. More and more I am considering joining a running club JUST so I could meet other running-crazy peeps like me....who when not running, would like to be chattin' about it. What do you do on YOUR 'days off' of running?