Everything is better when we’re together

I am totally, unequivocally not not a runner.If you had asked me three years ago to run a mile, I probably would have a) laughed in your face or b) requested a treadmill and a time goal. I only “ran” inside.. at a gym.. on a dreadmill.. by myself. I “pushed” myself to achieve goals, but it was boring AF. I have moderate (used to be super serious) asthma, so even though I did a lot of sports in high school, it didn’t take me far, and I struggled with running outside. Often I wouldn’t run far enough because I’d get exhausted and give up.

Fast forward to this past Sunday where my best friend and I RAN A MARATHON. I don’t know if you know this.. but it’s kinda far. It’s the kind of distance that you laugh off because it’s absolutely ridiculous to think you can push your body to to anything remotely close. I used to drive my car to destinations less than 3 blocks away. Such shame, past me!

Enter: A serious break up, Nick Rod, November Project Baltimore, Sunny / Irresistible LA, #NPLAX, Elliott, and my dear wifey, Liliana.

 

There have been a ton of posts lately, or so I’ve noticed, about how running is a community. NP Bal (OG Tribe Represent!) has rolled out a running buddy system. Sydney just posted one of the #goat photos from her amazing BQ in Cleveland. They all tell the same story, and mine isn’t much different.

I rarely run alone. I run because running with friends is fun. I know that I can push me, myself, and I to get better and stronger and faster, but I know where that takes me. It’s dark. I get so controlling and competitive with myself that I lose sight of what’s good and pure and healthy. I don’t want running to become a chore or something I feel I have to do. I want to enjoy it, and mostly I do. Honestly, I run to eat everything under the sun.. BUT solo brunches are no bueno.

Lili and I ran my first half marathon last October and we trained with Pauline and Abby. I’m still so angry at Pauline’s advanced plan haha but that’s another story. We ran mostly together until Abby got injured (sadface) and our schedules didn’t work out, but Lili and I generally ended up together and we raced together. We had a lot of fun and we became closer than ever. When marathon slots went up in a raffle at our Sunrise 6k, Lili asked to put my name in, but I wasn’t really paying attention. Well, I definitely should practice more active listening because I won a spot for Mountains 2 Beach, and I almost had a heart attack. It didn’t matter though because Lili knew she was going to run it with me. We split her bib cost and developed our own marathon training plan (underbaked cookies for life). We spent 12 weeks where we rarely ran without each other. We always put our bodies first and didn’t push it. We rested, and we drank, and we didn’t drink, and we did hundreds of burpees like complete idiots in the last month, and WE DID IT. We took our tiny tan bodies and got even more tan and sweated all the water possible out and we got angry with each other and we suffered achy bones and weak hips and threw elbows and chaffed up and ate soggy bananas and then salty potatoes (winning). I would’ve never had that experience alone. Lili swears that I could’ve and should’ve left her behind to finish with a better time, and I’m sure I could have, but that’s not the point.

If you haven’t read anything up until now, here’s where I’m going with this: We all end up at NP looking for something greater than ourselves. We look to belong, to fit in, to find and build friendships and connect with one another as humans. We don’t show up to be alone, and we can’t be be our best selves without some support and encouragement.

I didn’t expect to reach marathon level abilities when I fell into this family. I didn’t want to be a runner, and I thought people who biked to get around were crazy. I’ve surrounded myself with people who push me to be better, stronger, and faster without even knowing it.

 

 If you’ve just signed up for a race, find a pace partner / run buddy or let me know and I’ll be there (as long as you aren’t Kylie because, honestly, girl, I cannot keep up ;)).

   

xoxo,

Nik

P.S. I wish we had read The Oatmeal’s Dos and Do Nots of Running Your First Marathon because it’s hilarious and, now that we’ve beat the blerch, totally true.

P.P.S. To our race mom, Aari for getting us to the start. Couldn’t have done any of this without your endless support. Huge hips in hugs and shoutout to the #cheergang at mile 19.5 who embraced our ugly cry selves and gave us a boost to continue on our way. (Trust me, I do it for the Mozz Stix!) A super special thank you to Lauren Duffy, for running us from cheer gang to finish and carrying all of our shit like a boss (not to mention providing endless entertainment). Couldn’t have finished in a better mood thanks to Jesse (even though he basically waterboarded me), Molly and Ron, John Grier (YEAHHH!), and my favorite human (other than Lili), Elliott, who has somehow trapped me into becoming a runner even though he’s insisted it’s nuts and I shouldn’t do it.