Spontaneous Friendships

I really enjoy running. It's like a simultaneous exchange of releasing energy and gaining it at the same time. A breathing out of my tension and stress, and a breathing in of oxygen and life. 

Typically, I run alone. My schedule is not very structured, so I carve out time when I can to exercise. 

Last night, we ended up a the Y and I was running on the indoor track. Here is the place I find my occasional fellow runners. While we don't necessarily run together, we do by the nature of being on such a small track. 

Without thinking about it, I began to gauge the speed of others and determine my own pace. Clearly wanting to avoid running over walkers or whacking into each other on the corners. Can anyone tell me why these tracks have to be so small that you almost feel like a hamster wheel going round and round and round?

At one point, a high school girl jumped in right behind me, shadowing my run. Well, I thought. This is my opportunity to pick up my pace and see if I can stay ahead of her. Maybe, just maybe it has to do with being over 40 and facing another birthday this month. Or possibly the adrenaline of running was taking hold. 

So, I did pick up my pace. And she stayed right there, about two steps behind. We rounded corner after corner and I hit the sweet spot of my running. Fast enough to be stretching myself out of a lethargic jog and steady enough that I wasn't exhausting myself or getting a side stitch. It was pretty darn fun. 

After several laps, my daughter popped her head into the track and I knew she was ready to go home. I held up two fingers, announcing two more solid laps. Then I pushed into overdrive. Could I hold a sprint for the final two laps without fizzling at the end? Would my running partner stay in step with me? 

Off I went, and off she went. Right with me, in step with my every step. Two laps later as we slowed down for a cool down my spontaneous running partner looks over with a grin and says, "Good job". 

Not only did this make my run more fun... but I think there's a principal of life caught up in this little moment we shared. Make the most of every moment. Live it with the people around you. Let the energy of moments & people spur you on to accomplish more than you could do alone. 

Live life at its best!