Good morning everyone..
It is the second week of December... and here I am, late, but here, opening the corner, stoking up the fire and plumping the cushions... Cranberry Muffins today , gluten free too... ginger cake and some delicious crispy pastries ready once more, to bring us all together again!
The darker days are well established, certainly here in the Moorlands, Inclement weather and darkness creeping in.
But, as ever, whatever the weather, we are able, hopefully, to still find the right time and the opportunity to complete our runs.
For those folk who have not visited the Corner before, welcome...grab a cushion and sit a while.
This is a place, here on the C25K forum, where we can support, encourage and generally help each other, in a positive and friendly way, with no thought of comparison.
There is a welcome here for all of us... Newbies, returners, and even new Graduates, before you make your way over to Bridge to 10K for some new ideas to take your running further!
Okay... thoughts for today ? Friends and friendship.
I am struggling right now, trying to juggle a whole lot of stuff! This making it tricky for me to get regular runs in... and sometimes, I feel very isolated in my struggle and then... I pop in to the forums and suddenly, I am not alone.
Other folk are here, other folk are struggling. too; runs are hard, runs are not happening, life is throwing, not just curved balls but the bat as well!
Suddenly... the load feels lighter. I read your exploits, I read your replies and I start to think... it is not just me!
So. that got me thinking even more about running, runners and friends. Friends, including family. But mainly, our running friends here.!
They are our heroes and heroines, our inspirations.
NOW, we're talking... and TALKING is what we LOVE to do.... about every aspect of our runs: our routes, our stats, distance, pace, speed, running gear, running events, weather, and even injury … we love talking about running.
Our running friends are trustworthy, and reliable...there for us no matter what. They understand!
Our running friends, support us and encourage us; the chatting about running, gives us ideas, strategies, motivation and maybe even a little bit of healthy, fun based rivalry ?
We love to talk, but, we also know when to be silent; when, during a run, it is perfect to run along, shoulder to shoulder. Simply enjoying the run and the companionship of the friend at your side. No need for words. This happens even when we are running on our own. With friends here, we never run, alone !
I am in some ways quite gregarious, but in others, not. I do not make friends easily... I think I am tad too loopy; I am mainly a lone runner. I had been running for quite a while before I even thought of running with anyone else. I was quite happy with this, running and then rambling about my runs... but maybe as time passed, there was a subconscious thought that I maybe, I wasn't good enough.
I was not aware of it and have never thought it, since. I run for me.
But, when I have run with others, over the years since, I have loved every moment of it.. every runner I have run with, has been warm hearted and encouraging, supportive and often inspirational.
I have made some of my dearest friends here, through running. Friendships made here, that will endure, whether I have been able to meet these friends face to face or not.
Now... whilst we are all here, sitting , relaxing and basking in the warmth of the fire, I would love to know how many of you have made friends through your running.
Friendships made here on the forums, in running groups, maybe at a first Park Run or other events.
If you are just starting on your running journey, maybe you have not had chance to make friendships here yet, so look around, read each other's posts. Find folk who are on the same week as you, team up, on your posts maybe... We have had whole groups of folk here on C25K, all reaching the Graduation Podium together, after supporting each other through the nine weeks. Much online celebrating has gone on.
I do know that if you do that, you will realise, how much you have in common, and you will experience friendship that will carry you forward in your running and beyond.
So, pop in, please and do let us know what is happening with your running right now and see how many of us, without realising it, already have loads of friends, right here
Oldfloss x
