Monthly Archives: November 2014

My Running Buddy

Three years ago, when I started the C25K program, MFH (My Favorite Husband) and I ran together.  Every single run, every single step, every single race, he was by my side.  He encouraged me during a race when my spirits fell.  He danced along beside me and sang silly songs to help me on the tough hills.  He taught me absolutely everything he knows about running.  I owe him a lot.  He is the best! (and I really, really miss running with him)

When we trained for our first full marathon, he told me at the beginning of the training for that race that this would be his last long distance race.  Not just with me.  His last long distance race period.

MFH does not enjoy running for anything longer than an hour.  Even an entire hour is pushing it as far as enjoying the run is concerned.

Everybody is different as to what they enjoy.  Running is not any different.  MFH likes 5K’s and a few 10K’s tossed into the mix but on the whole, he prefers the shorter distance races and training runs.

This is where MFH and I differ.  We have been together forever.  We have a great deal in common, one of which is our love of running.  It’s the distances we prefer is where we differ.  MFH is perfectly happy to be done with his run in 3.5 or 4 miles.  I just getting started being warmed up at 5 miles.  Hmmm…

MFH encouraged me to branch out on my own.  This would mean a LOT of solo running.  I had never trained all by myself before.  MFH had always been there with me.

I remember my first solo training run.  It was a Wednesday~trash day.  As I approached the railroad tracks, the garbage truck met up with me.  The truck stopped.  The guy on the back said, “Ma’am, you running alone today?”  I replied that, yes, I was.  “You be careful, now!” was the response.

Since that day, pretty much everybody within a 8-10 mile radius of my home know me and what I am currently training for.  They stop their vehicles often.  They offer encouragement.  They have stopped to tell me that they have tried their hand at running at well! They keep their eye out for me.

So…what’s this about a running buddy, then?

Somehow, I can’t really remember how, I met up with a lady runner from my town.  Her name is Bonnie.  She is a machine!  Everybody, and I mean everybody associated with running in Mississippi knows her.  Ah!  I remember now!  She sent me a FR on FB!  That’s it!  Anyway, she was training for a marathon and had heard through the running grapevine that I was training for an Ultra and was always on the lookout for somebody to join me on my long run days.  She was interested.

We made a date and met for a run.  I was running 22 miles that day.  She was going to join me for 11.  We hit it off very well.  Had a great time!  She made a lasting impression on me that day.  I’m going to share a little bit about her and see if you come away as impressed as I was.

Bonnie is 68 years old.  She is exactly a foot taller than I am.  I am 4’11”.  I describe myself as short and stubby.  Bonnie is tall and quite thin.  She has white, long frizzy hair that she always has pulled into this totally uncontrolled pony tail.  Comical.  The first time I met her, I knew her immediately.  I had seen her a races.  She kept saying to me, “How is it that I haven’t met you before now!?!”  I am a wallflower, I guess.   🙂

Bonnie used to be THE person to beat in Mississippi.  She walked away winning every. single.  race.  Not just for the women’s part of the race, I mean winning overall.  She was remarkable!  Then her time began to slow.  She was puzzled.  She was working hard at her running.  She was putting in the miles but her time continued to decrease.

Other strange things started to happen.  She owned and operated her own dance/gymnastics studio.  She found that she would teach a class and then have to sleep until time for the next one.  At the end of each day, she would be running a temp.

Suddenly, she couldn’t brush her teeth anymore or turn the key in the car ignition.  This is because her hands just quit working!  They froze on her.  She developed, what she calls, “discomfort” in her feet and ankles.  Her husband was very concerned by this time and made her go to the Doctor.

All this time, she was still running.

The Doctor had some tests run.  The results came back the day before Christmas.  Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).  Her world crashed.  Everything she did revolved around being active.  She didn’t know what to do…so, being Bonnie, she went on a run to sort things out.

This was some years ago.  She now goes in for IV treatments every other week(?) to help with her RA.  She’s on a boatload of meds.  She has NO cartridge in her feet/ankles and she is my running buddy.  That lady is still running!

What grit!  What determination!

I asked her why she hasn’t stopped.  Her reply was, “What good would that do?  I would seize up.  As long as I can force this body to move, I’m going to do it.”

Never once have I heard her complain about pain/discomfort.  I HAVE heard her say that RA is “The pits.”  That’s about it.  She misses her days of being fast.  Of winning.  In my book she is a winner and always will be.

Anybody who can pound out a marathon, running bone on bone in both feet/ankles, that, people, is one remarkable person.

That is my running buddy.