Athletic Supporters

Ah, jock straps....   Ha! No, I'm kidding.

When I first started running, I sought out other runners.  I went onto Runners World and browsed through the message boards until I found a place to hang my hat.  Since then, I've branched out to groups on Facebook, and now the blogesphere and Twitter.  I've surrounded myself with other runners, and have laughed, cried, and cheered with them.  They have become a second family to me.

This past weekend, I made an impromptu trip to Wisconsin to visit my grandfather, who is in the hospital.  It was a stressful, whirlwind trip, but it was also an opportunity to meet one of the girls I've been talking to online for over a year now.   We had coffee and went for a walk, and it was just as comfortable as if we'd been doing it all along, instead of just chatting online.

Now I'm back home and I'm tired and sad and just kind of numb from my trip.  I don't feel like running, I don't feel like talking, I don't feel like doing much of anything.   Fortunately, I know that when I decide I need a kick in the pants, my friends - online and otherwise - will be there for me, and will remind me that even if I don't feel like going for a run, it may just be the thing I need.