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A most unlikely running partner

By SHERRY BISHOP

Editor’s note: Sherry graduated from Fayette County High School then taught drama at the school, until she decided to pursue a dream of living in New York City. She sold all her things and moved to Manhattan. She worked 5 jobs to make ends meet then scored a job at Julliard. She also had one of her plays produced Off Off Off Broadway. Here’s an update she providec us of her New York experience.

I am not the kind of runner who favors the quiet solitude of a solo run.  If forced to run alone, I will. But to endure even one mile I need distractions like a Walkman, interesting scenery, etc.  Consequently I became quite discouraged when I moved to New York City and was forced to leave behind the faithful running partners I had been blessed with in my hometown of Atlanta. In Atlanta I had any number of running buddies I could call upon no matter the hour or weather conditions.  Even at ten o’clock on a rainy summer night I could persuade my friend Robin to go for a quick three mile run around town.

 Naturally I anticipated finding the same type of running network in New York.  Alas, that was not the case. While the population of New York far surpasses that of Atlanta, and the number of runners per square mile is no doubt staggering, in a year and a half I found no one who was a compatible running partner. New Yorkers keep strange hours and frantic paces.  I have found that my own life has changed drastically with my move to the big city.  So it became difficult to get myself on a regular running schedule much less coordinate that schedule with another runner.

 Fortunately I was eventually connected with my current running partner, Mia. Mia has all the qualities you desire in a running partner.  She is punctual, she is enthusiastic about running, she works around my schedule, and she is always at my beck and call. She even encourages me to go faster and will clap and cheer for me after I climb a steep hill or finish a really long run.  She can be very difficult if I back out on a running date.  She makes no attempt to veil her disappointment. It’s that accountability that keeps me faithful on those days when the knees ache and the body is tired.

 Now don’t get me wrong. Mia is not perfect.  She has her faults. She is guilty of annoyingly munching on a snack while we run. She chows down on a variety of finger foods. Much to my chagrin, she never gets winded. I can be huffing and puffing while Miss Mia sings this week’s favorite song at the top of her lungs. Perhaps the most unnerving habit she has is her uncanny knack for falling asleep around mile three or four.

 You see, truth be told, I do the running and Mia mostly rides. Mia is the 19-month-old daughter of my friend Elizabeth Ann. Thanks to the wonderful invention of the running stroller, I have someone to run with and Mia gets to go on an outdoor fieldtrip. Being out of doors is a special treat for her, as her mom prefers the comforts of indoor living and ventures outside only when she is forced.

 Besides increasing the intensity of my runs (have you tried pushing a 20 pound baby up a hill?) and providing companionship, Mia has gifted me with so much more. Running with a child forces you to see the world through that child’s eyes. Mia becomes ecstatic when we pass a dog or a horse or even those nasty pigeons that populate our city. She calls them all “doggie” but we’re working on “horse” and “bird.”  I don’t care how many times we’ve run past the carousel in Central Park; she still claps her hands and tries to sing along to the music.  I’m guilty of not even noticing the carousel when I am alone.

Now I must admit that I do miss the therapeutic talks I used to have with my adult running partners. Many a problem has been worked out on a long run. But there’s a therapeutic nature to running with Mia as well. I can’t let my mind wander too much.  I never know when we’re going to have to retrieve a hair ribbon or make an unscheduled stop at the swings. Mia dictates those diversions. Rather than dwelling on the day-to-day worries and concerns of my crazy and complicated life, I focus on getting a good workout and keeping my little friend both safe and entertained. 

 I want to believe too that Mia gets more out of our runs than just a fieldtrip.I hope that I’m teaching her a lesson, a lesson I wish I had learned at an early age rather than late in my 20s. That lesson being that exercising can be fun, not drudgery or even punishment. I hope that she grows up believing that physical activity is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle. Maybe I’m helping her to form lifelong habits that will improve the quality of her life. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll run side by side as we sing her favorite Elmo song. I sure hope so.