It’s 5AM on Saturday, you roll over to discover nothing but a dent in the pillow next to you, do you know where your spouse is?
If they’re a runner you do!
Instead of keeping you warm in bed, they’re deep in a routine of bathroom breaks, chugging water and licking peanut butter from a spoon. All leading up to that inevitable moment, when they step out the door rub their hands together noting the chilly air and start to run anyways.
By the time you’re rubbing the sleepers from your eyes, they’re bounding through the door ready to tell you all about their miles while dripping sweat around the kitchen floor.
Wedded Blisters
It’s not quite so glamorous as tiaras and ballgowns on Princess Diaries or as abrupt as a quickie among the medical supplies on Grey’s Anatomy, marriage is the best unscripted reality show…at least it is when you tie the knot with your best friend.
Today marks 9 years of marriage and 13 1/2 years together, which is effectively a 1/3 of our lives.
I continue to feel like the girl who tossed a penny in to a fountain with a big wish and turned around to see it come to life. To have found someone who makes me a better person, who is so kind, who looks better with age and most importantly who supports my neurotic need to run.
Instead of getting all deep, sentimental and mushy today, I’m going to follow David’s preferred method of showing love…silly.
You might be married to a runner if…
- Your laundry room looks like a running store threw up
- Your hallway closet is littered with various forms of old, new, clean and dirty running shoes
- You’ve been forced to look at blisters, chafing and other unfortunate skin issues
- Friday nights have slowly gotten earlier and earlier to match weekend long runs
- Vacations are dictated by races
- You don’t even like running, but have decided it’s more fun than spectating so you will
- When looking for places to live, you consider the proximity to trails or well lit sidewalks
- You’re used to statements like “yup I’ll have dessert, I’ll just add a couple miles to my run tomorrow“
- And you know they mean it
- Finding bags of ice in your tub is doesn’t make you think someone is about to borrow some organs
- You can’t quite comprehend why we get up to run again the next day after telling you how awful it was
- Bizarre words like fartlek are used enough to not make you giggle repeatedly
- If you choose to run, when they can’t it’s going to crush their spirit
- If you sign up for a race, it better include them to avoid a major meltdown
- You’ve done the nail biting of standing under an arc that says finish and wondering will it be smiles or tears
- Weekends are filled with LSD…and not the party all night kind, the go to bed early for a Long Slow Distance run kind
Is It Better with a Runner?
Maybe you’re also a runner, maybe you’re not.
I’m usually asked almost immediately by new friends if David runs. There’s an assumption that life must be better if you’re married to another runner. I’d say there are pro’s and con’s.
For instance, David is naturally athletic and basically better at me in everything except writing, reading and photography. Yes he even grows hair faster and could survive on less food. SOOOOO for a lot of years, he ran occasionally, but mostly lifted. This gave me a great random running partner, but I never felt any sort of competition.
Now he’s still not much more consistent, but he’s always faster than me. 10 training runs and he’s at the start line, happy to run along side me, but could very well leave me in his dust though I’ve been running consistently for 15 years.
On the flip side because he’s active, he gets my bizarre life choices. Doesn’t question the random things coming out of the blender, the cabinet of powders, the plethora of highly necessary running shoes and the time required to enjoy it all.
So whether you’re both putting in the sweaty miles together or doing your own thing…be glad you’ve got a runner by your side per the reasons to marry a runner that I shared for Valentine’s Day >>
Do you have any any funny tales of being in a running relationship?
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Susie @ Suzlyfe
This totally used to be Alex’s life! But now… I’ve gotten him into running, so I’m getting a taste of my own medicine!
Aimee
this one: “Finding bags of ice in your tub is doesn’t make you think someone is about to borrow some organs” made me die a little bit…I’ve so been there.
I run a lot, but the sig-o doesn’t quite so much. I feel like the luckiest of gals when I can get him out once a week with me. But he puts up with my neurotic runner behavior, and loves me even more for it. He found leftover ice in the bathtub once and asked if I was planning on throwing a house party (ice in tub= beer in tub)
amanda
HAHA!! I love it
Paul
Haha, great post Amanda – this made me laugh a lot! My Wife and I are casual runners but some of these still happen in our house!
Caitlin
Great post! Love the reasons!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
So funny! My hubby has some funny antidotes of being married to a runner too. They certainly have a perspective that no one else has.
Emily
It’s always so amazing how guys and gals are so different, and yet they compliment each other so well. I love how you and David compliment each other; I know what you mean about not training as much, but they are still faster. That’s my brother…. I would love to marry a guy who loves to run, but if not, I guess he’ll just have to bear with my love for running. :D
Jessica @ Semi-Sweet Tooth
Love this post and LOVE you two. My husband and I don’t work out together very often (he’s the runner, while I can be found lifting or at boot camp classes), but it’s wonderful that we can keep up with each other when we do activities together. (See here: Skiing, hiking, sitting on our butts watching Fixer Upper.)
Though, as the non-runner in our home, I’m always floored when he just adds on a mile or two. WHAT’S WITH THAT?! Running three miles is my idea of a marathon, ha!
Love you guys – enjoy your anni celebration. :)
XO, Jessica
http://www.semisweettooth.com
amanda
ha David laughs everytime I say I only did X, which is usually on the weekends when I want to get in a long run but stop at 10
Cassie @ Rural Running Redhead
Happy anniversary! I loved this post. My husband doesn’t run, but he’s a great spectator and supportive of my addiction. C