“It is going to be very slow relative to how you have been running with your friends. Are you sure you want to meet up?” I asked an ultra-runner friend who recently shared he wants to do some long runs together. “Yes, definitely. I want to slow down,” he responded. I drove to Harris Teeter to meet my so-humble-he-wants-to-remain-anonymous sidekick at 5 a.m., who ran here (6 miles from his house). Emerging slowly from my car I am very nervous to say the least. Yes this run will end up being the completion of 15 consecutive weeks of 100 miles/week but I am going to try and do it with someone who has completed 29 ultra-marathons in just six years, and is training at a 7:30 pace with his usual running buddies. He again assures me it will be fine so we start moving within the boundary of my slow gait towards the well-lit asphalt trail alongside Princess Anne Road.
I
used to weigh 175 pounds when we ran together on occasion about four years ago.
Today I am just under that mark and look significantly leaner. He even asked,
“Are you sure your scale isn’t broken?” Sharing that I appeared to be about 160
pounds. But the pace was the clear indicator as at one point he jokingly slowed
to a fast-paced walk to demonstrate his treadmill workouts at a 10% incline and
he was still shoulder-to-shoulder with me as I put one leg in front of the other
at my current running-easy pace.
I
realized on this trek, with the exception of occasionally talking to other
runners during a race, 100% of my running the last eight months has been alone.
Perhaps that is a show of fortitude, my only accountability has been, well…me. Personally,
I think of it as a show of respect for other runners, not selfishly asking them
to drag their feet to provide company and good conversation.
As
the miles pass by seemingly effortless, we shared running motivations and
future plans. I found this exchange to be most stimulating and then after
dropping some weight in the restroom (at about mile 8) the pace naturally improved
without intention. During the last two miles my distance-loving friend relaxed
into a bright smile and called out, “We are at a 9:30 pace right now, that’s
respectable.” My legs were nearly as new as they were at the start and now
consciously happy.
Similar
to several living organisms in the same space with a plethora of resources, we
found a productive synergy and even a common plan; to qualify for Boston
together in the same marathon sometime in the future. Maybe it will be this year,
maybe not. He is an ultra-runner at heart, not concerned with medals and merits,
just running true to form and potential for his intended distance goal. And
honoring that is the best strategy to move forward.
