Meeting Walkers

When I first started this blog I didn't think anyone would actually read it. I like to write. But many of the things I think and write about do not work in WALK! Magazine, and I really needed an outlet for that. I even envisioned some of the ideas I discussed here to be fine-tuned and used as a letter from the editor some day. I was very surprised the first time someone posted a response.

What is great about the blog is people are more willing to send e-mails to me. Usually it's about a race I plan to go to. Just this week I received an e-mail from someone who is interested in meeting up at the Flying Pig in May. She's from Boston. (Hi!)

I enjoy meeting new people and walking with people I don't know. Though I LOVE walking with my buddies, if I'm alone at a race I always look for someone who is at my pace and might be friendly. I guess that's one of the reasons I hate headphones during events. Nothing says "don't talk to me" like a pair of headphones. Anyway, the point of this paragraph is that, when I walk with someone I don't know the time just flies. I can hear any old story a walker's entire family has heard a million times, and it's new to me. Just talking about what someone does for a living or how old the kids are can kill a few miles.

I've met some really nice people during races - some I keep in touch with, others I just remember as being fun. One I met in Parkersburg travels everywhere and one from the Air Force Marathon I've been in touch with for a few years now. (Jeeyum occasionally reads this blog.) I met people in Cleveland last year and Murray in Xenia a few weeks ago. There's a gentleman from Columbus I met during a half, and I see him every race locally. He just makes my day when I see him in a race and we chat like life-long friends.

What all of these people have in common is they enjoy walking and I love feeling that positive vibe when I'm out there. I like to say I've never met a walker I didn't like. So far that's true. And maybe, with the help of this blog, I'll have the opportunity to meet a few more walkers I'll like.