More Conversations With M. the Reasonable

In February, just as I was starting to warm up to running, I had a really bad Sunday run. Shin splints had me hobbling at the halfway point of my usual two-and-a-half-mile route, and by the time I reached the always difficult last half-mile, I was frustrated and in pain.

When an older man went smartly jogging by me, I wanted to give up and crawl home.

The conversation with Matt the Reasonable the next morning in my training appointment was so epically hilarious that I still remember most of it now:

Me: So at the end of that awful run yesterday, I totally got passed by an old guy. He turned a corner and started running up the hill, even.

Matt: He's probably been running his whole life.

Me: I know...and I try not to compare myself to other runners, but still. I was thinking, "If I didn't have these stupid shin splints!!"

Matt (laughing): Hey, dude! You and me! Next week!

Me (also laughing): Same time, same place. It's ON!!

At this point, Matt just mimicked tripping someone and I laughed so hard tears gathered in my eyes and I couldn't complete the exercise he'd given me for a few minutes.

Fast-forward to today. I saw the same guy out running. I had run a mile, and walked about a quarter-mile down the hill to the bottom so I could run back up--half a mile, timed. I do the uphill once a week to strengthen my legs. I don't enjoy it, but it's good for me, so I do it.

There was the dude who had shown me up in February. He got a bit of a head start on me, so I hurriedly started the timer on my iPod and started up that hill.

Later, a new conversation with Matt:

Me: So not only did I get that 8:40 mile yesterday, today I ran my uphill. My previous best time was five minutes even. Today? 4:32.

Matt: That's awesome!


Me: I saw that old guy--I told you about him once--who ran past me when I was suffering shin splints. He got a head start on me, and I admit it, I got a little competitive.

Matt (laughing): That's not a bad thing!

Me: Yeah. And not only did I set a new best time, I totally beat him up that hill!



True story.