A couple months ago, I got together with some running buddies for dinner to celebrate a fellow running buddy's baby announcement. As we all sat around a table at the Mexican restaurant, talking, laughing, and enjoying one another's company to the fullest, one of my running buddies brought up a fact that always has, and always will awe me: our running group represents a wide age range, but it doesn't at all feel that way. The most awesome thing about this is the fact that those of us sitting around the table, (and others who were not with us that night) are more than just running buddies, we are true friends. Friends who confide in, tease, rely on, teach, and love one another. Friends who not only exercise together, but also eat, drink, play, and dance together. We've laughed, and cried, together. We've seen each other through disappointments in athletic performances and in life, and we've shared utter joy together through accomplishments and memorable experiences. We respect one another, no matter the age of the individual. Perhaps it is the fact that (because we take care of our bodies) none of us look our age which allows our minds to be open to the idea that some of our nearest and dearest friends can be 15 years (or more) our senior, or junior. I doubt that's it, rather, I believe it comes down to respect. As athletes, we each know the kind of discipline, the amount of time, and the willpower it takes to keep a regular training schedule. No matter how slow or fast, new or experienced, a fellow athlete is, we recognize and respect the sacrifices and choices they have made to live an active lifestyle. I believe it is that respect which allows us to overlook age.
I have never had anything against people older or younger than myself, but I have found that (with the exception of family members, and one former co-worker) any real friend of mine who is at least 10 years my junior or senior is a friend I met through swimming, biking, or running. My life is immensely enriched by the friends I have made through my exercise endeavors. I feel as though the bond shared with training buddies is qualitatively different than that of other friendships. The speed at which you get to know a training buddy is faster than with other friendships in life because of the amount of time you spend side by side with nothing but the road ahead and no other distractions. You end up talking (about everything) because it makes the miles seem to go by faster. You talk about life stories, your family, your dreams (the sleeping, and the goal kinds), your dirty little secretes, your schedule for the week, your job, and even your bodily functions. Yes, athletes talk to their training buddies about EVERYTHING- there are no forbidden topics, except for maybe the next big hill coming up on the course.. no one likes to talk about the actual matter at hand while training! You understand, and are understood by, your training buddies in a way that 'outsiders' never will. Generally, you don't have to explain yourself to a training buddy. They truly 'get' you. You don't have to explain to a training buddy why you spend all your free time running and biking, while the rest of the world reminds you that you are not getting paid for the sport you spend all your time training for, and asks why you are "wasting your time and energy." Your training buddies get why you spend so much money on athletic gear, while the rest of the world just thinks you are poor because they have no clue where all your money could have gone, therefore, you must not have had any in the first place. Your training buddies don't judge you.
This has been my experience. I believe (and certainly hope) that running communities all over the globe are like this. I hope that every athlete who chooses to join an athletic training group has the experience of meeting and befriending individuals of all ages and backgrounds. My life is better because of my training buddies: young, and ...the young-at-heart.
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