From the Editor’s Desk

From the Editor’s Desk Brent Manley

1 several running buddies. Members of the group went separate ways a few years ago, but I still cherish the time I spent with different members running on the roads or trails.

I can’t remember how many times Steve Parker and I met in the parking lot at the Chick fil-A on Germantown Parkway so we could run the Germantown Greenway, an out-and-back course of about 4.25 miles. We ran so early in the morning that it was always dark when we started, and that added a bit of adventure to each run. I really looked forward to getting out there with Steve. He was a much better runner than I was, so keeping up with him helped me improve as a runner.

Another buddy I got from the group was Jackye Haas, who lives near Overton Park. We would meet at her house, run out to East Parkway and then cruise over to Madison, doing about a mile before turning right on Poplar and running to the park entrance. We usually did about six miles. Jackye and I talked all the way and got to know and appreciate each other, just as I had done with Steve and anyone else I ran with.

I can also remember one winter when a lot of snow fell on Memphis. Undeterred by the weather, Bruce Harber and I went to one of our favorite places – the Yellow Trail, which runs alongside the Wolf River. We had fun just trying to stay upright as we went along in the trail’s deep snow.

I have been coaching beginners in the WRWM program for more than 10 years. Whenever I have a chance to talk to one of the newcomers, I bring up the subject of running buddies. I tell them about accountability and easier training, but until now I had not thought of mentioning that most important other benefit – the friendships to be formed. Those are worth more than anything to me. The world is round so that friendship may encircle it.

— Pierre Teilhard Chardin My buddies

Some years ago, I wrote an article for the local newspaper about two MRTC members – Anne Forbus and Becky Elkins – who were involved in the Women Run/Walk Memphis program. The goal of the article was to promote the women’s series, and the focus of the essay was the importance of having a running buddy. I picked out Anne and Becky to interview for the article because they were running buddies.

For a person just starting out in running, having someone to run with has several benefits. First, if you make a commitment to run with someone – say, early in the morning – you are more likely to get up and get out there instead of turning off the alarm and rolling over in bed. Second, most experienced runners will tell you that the perceived effort of running with others is much less than running on your own. I trained for my first marathon on my own. It was a major challenge. Before my second marathon, I took a class on marathon training led by Mark Higginbotham. We did all training as a group. It was a lot easier and I improved my finish time in the second marathon by more than 13 minutes. From that group, I found ... having someone to run with has several benefits. Renew your MRTC membership at www.memphisrunners.com