My "Sole" Mate. Together We Are Stronger.

My Valentine Running a 22 Mile Run in training for a 3:10 marathon

I can remember the summer of 2000 so clearly.  

The summer I decided I would do something I'd never done before.  

Go somewhere I'd never been before.  

Live FREE and happy and make the most of my last summer before my final year of college.  

21

Life was good.

I had a gut feeling it would be the summer of my life.

And it was.  

Packing up my Toyota Corolla and driving west to Oregon was 

Liberating

Scary

and 

Wonderful all that the same time!

I only knew one person.

Driving up to what would be my new apartment for the summer, I was alone.  

But Happy with that.  

Being alone with my thoughts and excitement at this new adventure

Made me Happy...

Knowing something BIG was ahead of me.

Nobody home for the weekend.  

And then there was a knock at the door.

And it was 

HIM.  

The neighbor, 

delivering a pan.  

The 

rest

is

history.

The next morning was our 

FIRST RUN TOGETHER.

Something in me knew I'd met my match even if it would be a few more weeks before I acknowledged it.  

6 miles together.  

First thing in the morning.  

Rising Sun.

Fast pace.

He stayed 

right 

behind 

me 

or to my side 

the entire time.  

Only now do I know it was because I was wearing little tight red shorts.

"Best View EVER," he says.  

I thought it was because I was a little faster than him.  

But really

We 

were

and 

Still Are

Right on Pace with Each Other!  

Since that first run together on that warm almost-summer morning in May of 2000, 

We've had MANY runs together.  

So Many More than I could list in this post.

Races

Relays

Long Runs

Trail Runs

Slow Painful Runs

Fast Playful Runs

"See What We Can Do Together" Runs

First Marathon Together Runs

Jogger Stroller Runs

Dig Deep Runs

and

All that comes with Loving to Run Together.

And Loving to Share RUNNING together.  

Through the years,

 as our three kids have been born, 

we've had to split up.

Our runs together, 

are 

now 

our version

of 

a

HOT DATE OUT! 

My Husband 

IS 

MY TRUE 

RUNNING SOUL MATE.

My Sole Mate.

My Partner for Life.  

My Calm

My Balance

My Match

In So Many Ways.  

May we have 

Many 

Years

Ahead...

A Lifetime

of Runs Together.

Because

Together We Are Stronger.  

Happy Valentine's Day to my Running Soul Mate...My Sole Mate ...and More.

Our first marathon together.  His first and my 4th.  So fun and happy!  3:24

Right before our first marathon together, his first ever.  He wasn't fully trained but still ran a Happy 3:24.  I may or may not have grabbed his hand at the finish...Gah!  I know...so CHEESY.  I laughed about it afterwards. 

Had to put an old school one in here.  We weren't running here but we had just met and already gone on our first runs together.  So glad I made the drive from Colorado to Oregon that summer of 2000! 

Here we are after the Vernonia Half Marathon where we both set out to break 1:30 once and for all.  Funny story really. Didn't happen.  He left me at mile 7 because I was being stupid.  He finished in 1:31 and I in 1:33.  We didn't reach our goal but we had fun! 

My first 5k since college.  Shamrock 2011. We set out to break that stupid 20 minute mark but the hill for  mile 2 (or was it 3?) killed us and we finished a bit after 20 minutes.  Again, it was still fun and running with him by my side gives me a strength like nothing else.  

Hood to Coast 2011.  The BEST ever since I got to have him in my van!

One of the last exchanges of Hood to Coast before heading to the beach.  

After his first marathon (not properly trained) in 3:24

Kids so proud of their Dad!  After his 2nd marathon only weeks after his first.  3:20.  Didn't get that 3:10 but instead got a year long plague of Plantar Fasciitis...Uggh! Too much too soon.  

One of many Trail Run Dates on Wildwood Trail

Hood to Coast 2011.  Partying with Team Nuun!

My biggest cheerleader after Boston 2012

Again, my biggest cheerleader in my second Foot Traffic Flat Marathon 2012 (my Boston redemption race after a 90 degree day in Boston that left me struggling just to finish)  

Another race together.  He left me in the dust on this one.  But thanks to the Lady Bug Run, we could do it together and have someone watch our kids at the finish line.  LOVE. 

Thankful for our love story!

And in adding to my post, Lessons from the Run from yesterday, I'd say that so many of my Life Lessons from the Run have been WITH my Love.  I'd add to this post by saying that the runs we've been on together have taught us about working together.  They have taught us about the joy in having a life partner that shares in something that you love.  Something you love together.  And that fighting to the end of a race together teaches us that we can always fight through the difficult patches that life throws our way.  It also shows us that so much of life together is joyful when we do what we love together.  

Together we are STRONGER.  

Do you have a favorite person to run with?  

Happy Valentine's Day,

Amanda