Crossing Paths

I had a couple of ideas for today’s post, but I’m putting those on the back burner.  I just had to write about what happened tonight at my running group’s first meeting, and really, it goes along with the theme of the past few days.  I have been looking forward to the start of training for a few weeks now.  I am always ready for the program to end by the time the race rolls around, and I enjoy the two months off in between, but I am always so excited to get back to it.  The process of preparing for a race is exhilarating.  And with every new program, I always meet a new friend.

We were doing introductions and our new resident nutritionist said that she was training for the Boston Marathon (after she participated in an Ironman in September).  I haven’t talked too much about this, but I have aspirations of qualifying for the Boston this fall.  I wouldn’t be able to run it until 2013 due to the timing of the qualifying race.  Anyway, she and I started talking about how to train for a marathon, and as we started our evening run it became obvious that we were about the same pace.  Which I guess should have been evident since she looked younger than me and therefore would also have to run the same pace in order to qualify for Boston.

For those of you who are runners, you know that it really is very difficult to find a running partner.  You want to find someone who is a very similar pace, and has similar goals (ie – doesn’t mind trying to go faster).  It is also important to find someone who you have things in common with other than running.  If you are going out for a 10-mile training run, you want to have something to talk about.  So far, I have not been able to find someone who meets all of those qualifications, but I don’t mind running by myself.

The nutritionist and I started talking, and we discovered that not only did we grow up in the same town, but we lived about a mile or so from each other!  We continued to chat about jobs, and I found out that she used to work for the same law firm that I worked for right out of law school.  I must have started shortly after she left.  I now recall seeing her name on documents and such.

Then I started thinking about how many times our paths must have come near each other, but never quite intersected.  As someone who believes there is meaning in everything that happens, I truly believe she and I had not met before now  for a reason.  Maybe she will be the one to help me get to Boston.  Maybe we will become regular running partners.  Maybe we will just be buddies through this one training program.  Or maybe we will become bestest girlfriends.  Our paths have now crossed, and I can’t wait to see why.  I just love it when life tosses something unexpected and good your way.

And, yes, tonight’s run was completely in the dark.  I had to use to my flashing red running light for safety.