Running hard

After a stint at home, boyfriend has left again, this time to go home to Arcata to do some work for my parental units. He was very cute before he left, very concerned about leaving me alone again. We have done long distance, and as you know most of the summer he was off at camp leaving me bereft and alone.

Okay, so not really bereft, but it sounds good right?

It's important to remember, and something that I have learned after long consideration (not to mention trial and error), is that if you are really truly meant for each other you'll make it through anything. Doesn't make distance any easier, but as I pointed out to boyfriend before he left, if we're going to be together for our whole lives one summer isn't going to hurt us.

I meant for that to sound more poignant and philosophical than it came out. I think I'm just tapped out for poignancy.

Instead, I'll move on.

My running buddy kicked my ass last night. She's done it before but this time was on purpose. Last week we ran really fast because we lost light and needed to get our mileage in. Apparently it wasn't a one time thing like i thought it would be. Last night when I got to her house she seemed nervous.

"What's up?" I asked her.

"Well," she began, wringing her hands, "I have though about it and I really need to work on my pace" -- she's running a marathon the week before NWM in October -- "so I'm shooting for 9 minute miles so we really need to run faster..."

And keep in mind, folks, that we've been running 10.5-, 11-minute miles.

"Okay." I said. "You set the pace. I can't promise I'll like it or be able to keep up, or that I won't whine, but let's do it."

Famous last words.

Four miles. Averaging 9:28. Holy crap.

It's a good thing I like her. One thing that I realized though is that I run for fun. I'll let her kick my butt, but for a split second I thought about dedicating myself more to speed and hardcoreness, and then I just realized that I run because I enjoy it. I don't run for speed, or glory. I run for me, to feel good, to look good and to finish.

I'll let her push me and kick my butt, but that's all I'm gonna do. Just my regular workout. I mean, with her busting my butt a couple times a week.

I gotta go tackle my list for today!

Ciao,
kc