Sometimes it's not about going fast

On Sunday, I did a 5k Valentine's Day race with my boyfriend. It was absolutely sweet of him to do it with me, since he hates running and pretty much never does it. It was the best Valentine's Day present ever :) There is something special about lining up at the start line with someone you love. I've done it with my mom and some friends before, but in general, I am a solo racer.

In the past, I've really focused on my times. When I run alone, I run for my own personal best. And sometimes, I'm ashamed to say, even when I sign up for a race with a friend, I still run for my own personal best. I've left friends behind at the post race party (too tired to party) and skipped out on even starting the race with them. One of the moments that I am the least proud of is when I ditched a friend who I convinced to run a marathon with me. A marathon in San Francisco. With hills. Yes, I finished first and had a semi-decent time (for San Francisco). But...I'll always wonder what it would have been like to run with her instead of seeing her twice and then limping away from the finish line, my ankles at the point of collapse. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if we had just run together. I'll never know.

So now, when I run with my mom, we run together. I don't run ahead (unless she has my dad to run with and they give me their blessing). And when I run with my boyfriend, I will always run with him. I'd much rather have a picture of us crossing the finish line than a picture of me by myself. Also...if he really gets into this running this, he'll probably end up faster than me. I guess I better keep the running karma good!!!

So in the spirit of Valentine's Day, and love all year round, I suggest doing some races with some friends and NOT leaving them behind. Enjoy being with someone and doing something other than eating or seeing a movie. If you're worried about the time, just remember: you'll always wish it could have lasted a little bit longer.