on the forerunner

Today I went for my long run (up to five miles now).

Met my running buddy at mile 1.5. Fortunate for me, that 1.5 had been a good warmup -- I ws able to tuck in a step behind Dennis and planned to just hold on for about two miles. After that Dennis usually turned for home and I would pull back the pace a little.

Dennis didn't push me through that portion - more like he pulled me. We talked a little about just about everything - from Hebrews to Socrates to giving enough time to our families to our struggles in high school.

The time passed easier listening to Dennis, but I was glad when we approached the corner where he turned for home. In fact, I was huffing pretty good when we got there. I patted him on the back (gave him a push toward home?), and said, "See you later."

He said, "No, I'll stay with you."

"Great," I said on the outside. Groan, I said on the inside.

So we stayed at that pace and I turned in five miles I am now proud of. I just had to focus on the back of Dennis' near shoulder and keep going.

Dennis said that his old running buddy had pulled him along many times. That he never talked much because he was always too out of breath. And that he knew every hair on the back of that running buddy's neck from all the miles he'd followed him through.

He had to focus on the forerunner. By doing that, he got fast enough to qualify for Boston. He'd tuck in and hold on behind a more perfect runner.

The same thing worked for me this morning. I focused on the guy ahead of me and went farther and faster than I could have gone myself. Without him, I'd likely not have even rolled out of bed.