running buddy

During my last year of teaching we had a long term substitute for our P.E. teacher.  Her name was Andrea and my students absolutely adored her. (I really wish she would have been my long term substitute).   Over the few months that our teaching overlapped I got to know Andrea a little bit.  I learned that she was a runner in high school and she seemed very nice.  Fast forward to 6 or 7 months later when I was going for a run in my neighborhood.  When I first saw her I didn't know it was Andrea but I remember thinking "well, she's fast."  Once I recognized her I stopped her and confirmed that I knew her from Sunny Hills.

Now almost 3 years later Andrea is one of my best running buddies.  She is faster than me which is great because it pushes me to go a little harder.  She only lives a few blocks away so we meet regularly in the early morning to get in a run before the day starts.  The past few months we have been running three days a week with a hard workout on Wednesdays.  I don't like those days.

She's on spring break this week.  So this morning I had to drag myself out of bed and go for a run by myself.  It was painful, both physically and mentally.  But I did it.  I'm proud of myself any time I go for a run.  But while I was running I was reminded of two things I am thankful for.  I am thankful I can run and I am so thankful for a running buddy.  Especially a running buddy who rarely cancels on me and is always up for another race.