I’m picturing Joe seeing the title of this blog post in his newsfeed and choking on his coffee while beads of sweat drip from his forehead and he clutches his chest LOLLOLLOL. It’s not what you think, but I DO have a really exciting announcement …
When I reflect on my relationship with running, I can’t help but notice how similar it is to, well, a relationship. We started dating in high school when I joined the cross country team, but I was immature and didn’t take the relationship seriously. My girlfriends and I would hide in the woods during practice if the run that day involved a loop and then conveniently jump back into the pack on the final lap (true story). I wasn’t that into it, I just ran because all my friends ran and I wanted something to do after school. I mean, my gawd this metaphor practically writes itself …
At the start of college, I took a break from running because I just wanted to party and see other guys named 2AM Pizza and Chipotle. That was fun for a while, but then I started to see how good other girls looked with Running and I started to get jealous. I wanted him back. 
We got back together, but it was an unhealthy relationship—as all relationships are when you don’t feel good about yourself. I relied on running for my self worth and abused it. It wasn’t fun or enjoyable, it was a crutch. And I was only hurting myself by staying with it (crippling Achilles tendonitis flare-ups that I’d force myself to run through).
My relationship with running got better after college as my relationship with myself got better, and it became fun for me again. I listened to my body and took weeks off if my tendonitis was aggravated, and then I eventually decided to run my first half marathon. We were in a good place, committed and comfortable. Some weeks of training were terrible, but the feeling of accomplishment I had when I crossed the finish line made it all worth it.
Because we’d been together so long and the sailing was so smooth, I started to become complacent. It became easier to prioritize other things in my life over running because I knew it’d always be there for me. I stopped putting in the work, and the spark in the relationship faded.
I focused on other things—Lagree Fitness, HIIT workouts, yoga—and honestly didn’t think about running much at all. It was a healthy thing to do, as there’s no need to settle for complacency in a relationship. 
Just like two lovers who’ve gone their separate ways, matured and grown as individuals, and then had their paths cross later in life, I feel like I’m back together with running and we’re ready to tie the knot and start cranking out kids. In fact, I kinda can’t believe what I did earlier this week …
I applied to run this year’s Boston Marathon on a charity team. Um, hello, shotgun wedding! There’s no guarantee I’ll be accepted to the team, but I’m still all sorts of excited/nervous/panicked. What have I done?!
For those of you unfamiliar with how the Boston Marathon works, you essentially have two options for getting a bib number: 1. Qualify by running an insanely fast marathon elsewhere 2. Commit to raise at least $5k for one of that year’s charity teams. Some people feel that running via charity team means you’re not a “real” runner, but honestly I don’t feel that way at all or care. Running a marathon just so that I can run ANOTHER marathon?! No. That sounds absolutely miserable.
Even though I really have fallen back in love with running, the super long distance stuff is still rough on my tendonitis, and running a marathon is truly a one-and-done bucket list item for me. And if I’m only going to do it once, it HAS to be Boston. I should know by the end of October if I was accepted to the team, and of course you guys will be the first to know!
The Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women
In the meantime, I’ve got another (definite) race coming up that I’m super excited about. I’m going to run the Tufts Health Plank 10K on October 12 with a couple other Boston bloggers, and it should be a great time! The race celebrates women and healthy living and if you’re in the area that weekend (it’s on Columbus Day), there’s still time to register HERE.
I haven’t been using a specific training plan, but instead just make sure to run at least three times a week: a short run (3-4 miles), a longer run (5-7 miles) and then some sort of speed training, which has been in the form of Barry’s Bootcamp these past few weeks (that counts, right??).
I feel like this time around, I’m MUCH better about prioritizing stretching and foam rolling after I run (I used to ignore this all too often), and it’s made this whole rekindled relationship all the better for my body.
Do you have any upcoming races you’re looking forward to?
How many of you were extremely disappointed this blog post was about running and not about marriage (ha!)?
Pictures in this post were all taken on recent runs around Boston. I <3 this pretty city!
Hey there! I'm Nicole, a group fitness instructor, healthy lifestyle blogger (you probably figured that one out by now) and Certified Personal Trainer living in Boston, MA.
I loved reading this! I’ve had a really similar relationship with running and it was only a few weeks ago I signed up for my first half marathon (eek!). During my training though I’ve developed a foot injury (no actual idea what it is) but I’m not stressing about it toooo much as the race isn’t until March. Any recommendations on how to deal with foot injuries? I’m happy to take time off to heal but not TOO much! haha.
Love this analogy!
I could have written this post myself! This is exactly my “relationship” with running. I even ran cross country in high school. Good luck on getting into the Boston Marathon! It is definitely on my list.
Haha I love it. Great metaphor and I hope you make the team!!
I am going to be running the Door County Fall 50 in a few weeks. It takes place in beautiful Door County, WI (a.k.a. the Cape Cod of the Midwest) and I’m not going to lie…I’m secretly doing it because I hear the after party is off the hinges! Plus, at the half-way mark there is a buffet including soup and pasta…did I mention there is an awesome after-party? Haha! Good luck getting into Boston, you will never forget that experience as well as the experience of your first marathon. Be careful, they are addicting!
i love that this was about running rather than marriage because its so true! I just ran a half and have the avengers half coming up in november. its a love hate relationship right now but with fall weather coming up i think it will turn back into love 🙂
This is awesome, and I’ve been in your shoes many times before. I’m happy to say I have had a steady marriage with running ever since I got out of college. It pretty much keeps me sane!
Awesome post! I think a majority of people can relate to your running relationship…I know I can:) PS I ran the Boston Marathon this past spring on behalf of a charity. (The Michael Lisnow Respite Center in Hopkinton, MA) BEST EXPERIENCE EVER! Good luck getting in! It was also my first marathon but I did it! Go big or go home right!?
This post is so unbelievably relatable. I just recently wrote about my break up to make up with running and also applied to run Boston via a charity, because like you said if I’m ever going to run a marathon it HAS to be Boston. Good luck on getting in, and hopefully see you running around Boston come January (yay for 0-degree weather?).
When I started reading this, I was like where is she going with this and then it was literally like you read my mind lol. I totally know what you mean. I ran in college and afterward I kind of fell of the train. For awhile I tried again bc I wasn’t’ happy and then I signed up for a race and now I love it. I don’t’ have to force myself to want to do it. It just comes naturally. Its an interesting feeling after hating mile after mile for three years straight. Love this analogy.
http://stefunkyrunnergirl.com/
I absolutely love your analogy. I started running for the sole purpose of conditioning for soccer so it ended up being a pretty hate-filled relationship. Fast forward to messing up my knee in college and having to take 1.5 years off I missed it. However, come back into it from ground zero was miserable. I was hardly able to run 2 miles. Now I’m running my second half marathon in November. Yes, it took like 4 years to regain the distance, but I did it. I never really got my speed back, but I am just grateful at the ability to run. I’m so amazed at how capable and strong my body is. I’m just thankful for how far I’ve come.
AWESOME pictures! I love the first two – please tell me there was a filter involved and that it’s not really that beautiful every day 🙂 I read this post because of the intro about picturing your boyfriend seeing the title and freaking out LOL. I have a love/hate relationship with running due to injury. When I am feeling motivated and ready to run something always seems to start hurting and derails my training. I signed up for the Big Sur Marathon lottery and got IN so I will start training for that in Dec/Jan. Hoping to combat my injuries before then.
Haha LOTS of filtering on the second one, but the first picture was just an unreal sunset/sky combo! Good luck with Big Sur! If I get accepted to the Boston charity team, I’ll be starting my training right around then as well. 🙂
I’ve always made the comparison of falling madly in love with running to falling madly in love with a person. I’ve also admittedly become the crazy, obsessed, stalker girlfriend at times but now I’m just like really committed and not in a creepy way, you know?
I’M RUNNING BOSTON!! I really hope you get in and maybe we can do a blogger meet up in your city. This will be my second Boston Marathon (I ran in 2013 – not a good year) and I am excited to go run it again. I love that you say you have to run an insanely fast qualifying time because that made me feel really cool. 😉
Ha!
I hear you! I have always been an on and off runner and yogi…I ran my first half marathon in September of 2013 and then realized that my body and my mind responded better to yoga…
I still LOVE running though and can’t wait to run in this beautiful fall weather! xo