Be Nice (Seriously)

Hey there. It’s me again. It’s been TOO long! I have no excuses for not blogging. Plenty has happened over the past few months to keep things going here on the blog. Oh well…

I’m still running. Surprised? Honestly, I am. Looking back over the last two years, I can’t believe how far I’ve come and how that’s affected my health for the better. I’m starting up my training for the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa (November 24) and have pretty much decided that this will be my last full marathon. But, I’m not quitting. I’m simply planning to run shorter distances more often vs. 26.2 miles at a time!

Speaking of the short distances, I’ve been participating in Runner’s World Run Streak (#rwrunstreak) for the past 30 days. The plan is to run at least one mile every day from Memorial Day to Independence Day, for a total of 39 days running consecutively.  This has been one of the most fun and rewarding experiences I’ve ever participated in. A few of my friends are joining me on the streak and I’ve made several new ones through Twitter and Instagram. It’s great for keeping each other motivated! Plus, the streak has challenged me to get outside more and run where I can. That’s taken me through the streets of downtown Chicago, Orlando and all around Springfield, MO. It also has me thinking about raising the bar. Why stop at 39 days? Can I go for a 100-day streak? Watch me.  🙂

But I digress…the true focus of this post is thanks to a recent observation: most runners are nice, happy people. I say this because every person I meet on the trail or on the road or even at the gym has been friendly. When we cross paths, I smile and wave. Yes – sometimes I look like a goober. But I’m a friendly goober! When people smile and wave at me, it gives me that little “oomph” I need to move a little faster, push a little harder.

How about you? Do you wave or smile when you cross paths with someone during your run? Why or why not? I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading.