Monday, November 09, 2009

Runners Like Us

I take off time to time
With those crazy friends of mine
Head out on the road
With legs we run

We burn up the road in any marathon
Blend in with the masses
Just us friends
And we roll

Runners like us sure do have fun
Racin' the wind, chasin' the sun
Take the long way 'round back to square one
Today we're just outlaws out on the run
There'll be no regrets, no worries and such
For runners like us


I have friends in marathons that I don't know I have. I am a friend to runners in marathons that they don't know they have. It is the beauty of the sport especially for those of us that run marathons regularly. The bastardized words above to Cowboys Like Us show this sense of belonging and fellowship. We are all crazy to some degree - running marathons on consecutive days, consecutive weeks, a few times a month interspersed with a 50 or 100 mile fun run. We'll run any marathon, not just the check-it-off-life's-list, rock 'n' roller. We run marathons that are smaller than 5Ks, without pacers and without fans. We have each other. We pace together, we chat, learn a few things about one another and move on - and we roll.

We always have fun - what wind? Rain? It's just water, put me on your ass, I don't care, water doesn't care. There is always sun on marathon day - a day of brilliant rays of hope and friendship, the passion of the run. Sometimes, they take us out 26 miles and drop us off - "run back", they say. Other times, we run in a circle - 26.2 miles resulting in net-0 miles gained. Other times they tease us. Let's take them close to the finish line at mile 8, 13 and 18 and then torture them with, "you're almost there!" Hills must be strategically placed - "you think you got this? think again!" All along, your friends are there. We are just marathon outlaws out on a run, renegades, pirates and gypsies, a band on the run. Our only regret is not being able to run "that" marathon because I want to run "this" marathon. Our worries are gone for those brief few hours. We are with our friends, those who pull us along, encourage us, laugh with us, many of whom we do not know but will afterwards. Running is my friend. The marathon is my friend. Both are always there for me - kick my butt when I need it, give me exuberant joy when I least expect it. Fellow runners, thanks for being my friend also.