I have enjoyed reading everyone's comments and preferences! I haven't had the opportunity to run with a group yet. I did have a running buddy for a little bit, which was nice since he was a great cheerleader but our lives have gone separate ways. Now I run/walk with my 2 year old Airedale terrier, Roman. He keeps me safe and has an aweso…
I have enjoyed reading everyone's comments and preferences! I haven't had the opportunity to run with a group yet. I did have a running buddy for a little bit, which was nice since he was a great cheerleader but our lives have gone separate ways. Now I run/walk with my 2 year old Airedale terrier, Roman. He keeps me safe and has an awesome slow pace which I feel is good for me to train to (about a 13+ish minute mile, while my races are closer to 10ish minute miles on a flat course). We take occasional water breaks, and if we're hitting a trail he runs off leash. I run with a single headphone, but often will pause the music to enjoy the nature around me. So far our longest distance was 16 miles! Someday, if life allows, I'd like to join a running group just to see what it's like. One of the (many) reasons I enjoy racing is for the community it brings together. I'm one of the slowest in my age range (20-30) and not out to break any records. At every race I've been in I've found runners to "leap frog" with through the race and towards the end someone will join me and we will start chatting, pacing and cheering each other on the last few miles. It's so encouraging! I'm still quite a beginner at all this and feel like I have so much to learn from everyone around me (including you all!), but when I'm a "seasoned runner" that's who I want to be: someone pulling along the newbie at the end, talking with them to get their mind off of the last miles, sharing techniques and tips and running/life advice from having lived it, encouraging them in their journey to not give up.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's comments and preferences! I haven't had the opportunity to run with a group yet. I did have a running buddy for a little bit, which was nice since he was a great cheerleader but our lives have gone separate ways. Now I run/walk with my 2 year old Airedale terrier, Roman. He keeps me safe and has an awesome slow pace which I feel is good for me to train to (about a 13+ish minute mile, while my races are closer to 10ish minute miles on a flat course). We take occasional water breaks, and if we're hitting a trail he runs off leash. I run with a single headphone, but often will pause the music to enjoy the nature around me. So far our longest distance was 16 miles! Someday, if life allows, I'd like to join a running group just to see what it's like. One of the (many) reasons I enjoy racing is for the community it brings together. I'm one of the slowest in my age range (20-30) and not out to break any records. At every race I've been in I've found runners to "leap frog" with through the race and towards the end someone will join me and we will start chatting, pacing and cheering each other on the last few miles. It's so encouraging! I'm still quite a beginner at all this and feel like I have so much to learn from everyone around me (including you all!), but when I'm a "seasoned runner" that's who I want to be: someone pulling along the newbie at the end, talking with them to get their mind off of the last miles, sharing techniques and tips and running/life advice from having lived it, encouraging them in their journey to not give up.
That's so awesome, Colleen! I love that! (And if Roman can run 16 miles with you, that is really impressive!)