Okay, so I am a bit late posting this for Valentine’s Day but still worth a thought or two.  Here is an article that appeared on the Huffington Post site last week.  You might recognize a couple of people (hint….Picture ’26’).

Although the article is very general it does highlight a good point.  Since Shari and I started running we have to juggle our training with our commitments to work and to our family.  Many times when I was training for my first marathon would I get up at 3 a.m., strap on a headlamp and do 18-20 mile training runs so that I could get back in time before Shari had to head out for work.  Even now I do the ‘early’ shift at the weekends, getting up at 5 a.m. or earlier so I can get my work out in be back to look after the boys or take them to an activity so Shari can work out and we don’t lose our day or time with the boys.  In fact last year we splurged on a quality running stroller so we could take the boys with us on our training runs so neither of us had to miss out.  We put at least 50 miles on the stroller together (although I was the one pushing it and getting the extra workout).

Ocean City, NJ 2012

But there are those rare occasions when we do get to run together.  Seldom do we train together (as we are always on different training plans) but we have and do try to find races where we can run together.  Yes, there is the odd race where we want to PR and we decide ahead of time to run our own races, but we try to find races where can run side by side for the entire length.

As well as being good fun (we are known to ham it up for photographers just a bit) it does offer that rare time when we get to spend time together not watching TV or a movie and away from social networking and we are really doing something together as a couple.  Okay, so we are lucky that we both like to run and I’m sure that it would be different if only one of us was interested but it sure is great to share in the experience with someone who shares your life.  They just get it.

Last year Shari and I ran the LiveStrong 10K and the Philadelphia Rock and Roll Half Marathon together to see if we could do it based upon our different running pace and we did it.  I sometimes push the pace but Shari can hang with me so that is good.  It also allows me to take some races easier as a PR is not the be all and end all for me.  We also ran the Hershey Half Marathon together and of course the Walt Disney World Marathon together.  I guess we help push (or drag) each other along.  I was a little under the weather at Hershey and Shari got me to the finish (she killed me on the hills that day) and she admitted it was good to have me run with her during her first marathon (although there were a couple of times when she put both earphones in and ran on the opposite side of the street!!!)

Hershey Half Marathon 2012

Bottom line…the best thing about running is that I have a partner who can stick with me, share the highs and lows and put up with my incessant chattering with fellow runners.  At the end of the day we stay healthy together and spend what really is quality time together.  Hopefully in the process we are setting a good example for our boys.

Thanksgiving 2012