Did I just get relocated to Winnipeg, MB, Canada? My run this morning was freezing!
OK. I’m exaggerating, but it was cold.
It’s a twenty five minute drive in a cozy warm car from the TriRiot ranch to Marty’s house which is where we met to run. The usual meeting time is 5:15AM, but I like to arrive about 10 minutes early so I can sit in the car and relax a bit before running.
As I pulled up the driveway, I could see Marty coming out of the front door, but the wind had such a terrible bite, that as soon as it hit him, he turned around and went back inside.
Keep in mind that cold is a relative thing. I’m sure a resident of Winnipeg, MB would find this weather quite balmy.
By the time Marty, fully covered from head to toe, reemerged from his house, John was pulling up and then we ran.
Running with them is much like running in any small group of runners. We start out with about 20 yards of silent reflection which amounts to each of us thinking, “why the hell am I out in this cold weather at 5:15AM?”. Then either Marty or I break the silence with some small talk:
Marty: “So how’s work?”
LG: “Not bad.” “How are the kids?”
Marty: “Good. All good.” “John’s not talking to us today”
John: “”
Small talk is almost always followed by a little more silence. Then by the time we reach the half mile mark, the real conversation begins. Sometimes it’s lively. Sometimes one of us does all the talking. Sometimes we argue. Sometimes we just bitch about the world as it is.
The three of us represent diverse religions and political ideologies so you can imagine how hot the topics might get.
How is it that such different people can get along? It doesn’t matter what we talk about and it doesn’t matter what insults get thrown about. We always part ways with a smile and sincerely wish each other well.
Sometimes a good workout is good, not because the intervals are just right. Sometimes a good workout is good, because it’s done with the right people.