it's a running thing!

Last Sunday, my friend Angi and I ran the 5km at the Spring Fling Running Thing in Smiths Falls.  It has been years - and I mean a lot of years - since I last ran in a race.   1998 may have been the last one.   Oh, and let's qualify "race" - I mean I jogged.  Certainly not competitive - I'm more like the Penguin (at least I think that was his/her pseudonym) who wrote columns for Runner's World magazine; slow and steady, watching the world go by.   I loved those columns.

But I digress.  I had so much fun!  I was reminded of the hospitality, the support, the encouragement and the FUN that lives within the running community.   As far as organized athletic events go, I don't recall ever experiencing that kind of camaraderie or sense of community in any other sport.  Most others I have always found to be uber-competitive.  But running?  Nope, never running.  

Being a runner (ok, jogger) is kind of like being a Jeep owner or motorcycle rider.  I'm always seeing motorcycle riders acknowledge each other (Dad, I'm sure you can tell me what that's all about) and it's happened to me ever since I bought my Jeep - a wave as we pass each other (took me a while to figure out it was not my eyesight betraying me and that no, I really did not know those people).  And out running, well it's just about anything - a "good morning", "have a great run" or even commentary about the route up ahead. 

It's like within each of those communities there is a little secret; a treasured secret that only Jeep owners, motorcycle riders and runners know about what they get to experience.  And the wave from the Jeep,  acknowledgement on the bike, or "good morning" on your run is like saying "CAN YOU BELIEVE WE GET TO DO THIS?!?!"

All to say, I certainly won't be letting another 15 years (sidebar: holy s*@t I'm old!) go by before my next race.   

See you at the finish line.