Before I head to bed (it’s only 8:25 in Rochester but I’m exhausted) I thought I’d write about a reoccurring thought I’ve had lately.
The peace and solitude that running brings is wonderful, but running alone day in and day out is, well, lonely. A few years ago, I ran with a group of men and women at 5:00 am twice a week from a YMCA very near where I work. It was wonderful. Those two days were always the highlight of my week, and one of the women with whom I ran is still one of my closest friends.
Running seems to strip away all pretense and expose a person’s true nature. When my former little group ran together we shared many laughs and discussed serious topics that troubled us (many a dilemma was solved on our runs). Really, very few, if any, topics were off limits. Running will do that for people: break down inhibitions and build up trust.
If you’re a “lone runner” as I am, try to work in one day each week of social running. You may not run fast on this day, but you’ll make a friend or two or five and your life will be enhanced by these runners. I miss my friends (life can be devastatingly lonely at times) and I need to take my own advice. Most activities are twice as nice when shared with friends.
