Let Me Count the Ways...

Because 8 is great with a friend!

I know I've gone on and on about the virtues of having a training partner, but it's become more evident to me as this cycle moves forward. On the mornings when I might have otherwise pushed a run off until the evening when I was too tired to be efficient, or passed it off completely, I've got a friend who's laced up and ready to go.

Last week, (or was it the week before?) we'd messaged back and forth about a time that would work for both of us for one of the runs that we don't always do together. After not hearing an answer by the time I was lights out, I assumed I'd just go, eh...whenever. A quick check of my iPhone at 6am showed that I'd no response so I decided I'd just sleep in a little. Ahhh, bliss...but such guilty bliss. I knew I should be out there running before the heat of the day set in, and my indifference with it, but it was just not enough motivation.

At 7:05, my husband came into the room; 'E is out front.' WHAT?! 'She's unloading her jogger right now' he says with the cool and collected manner that drives me crazy in moments like these.  If you can turn away a mama who's just gotten three kids ready and is unloading her triple jogging stroller to schlep around a loop with you then you are a hard, hard-hearted person. In truth, I'd never been so glad to have a partner! I jumped out of bed, scraped my hair into a pony, shoved my contacts in my eyes and tried to look like I hadn't just rolled out of bed. Fail. The thing with running is all you have to do is get dressed. So I did. And, I went.

When we rolled back up to the house, I felt much better having gotten my workout out of the way, and I was still done in time to take H to school and then come home to shower. We have just over a month until the half. It's her first and I'm so excited to be with her on her first double digits run in two weeks. It's almost like being with a friend who's pregnant for the first time. You get that novel nervousness and excitement all over again, but this time it's you who gets to reassure someone that they not only can do this, but they will.

For our eight mile run we took one of my favorite routes through the rolling vineyards and it was awesome to take it one hill at a time. Crest, then rest, crest, then rest. It was infinitely more enjoyable with someone there to keep me company.

I most likely won't be with her at the finish line because she's faster than me, but I'll try my darnedest because I'd love to get a picture of us crossing that line together after all our hours training side by side!