Farewell My Friend (an attempt at creative writing)

After 20 long weeks of nearly constant companionship, it is time to say goodbye. You were there when I first started this journey to "marathon land", all bright and shiny and new. That was back on October 31, 2005. The day after Halloween, while everyone else was snacking on leftover candy, and recovering from their drunken Halloween parties, you and I were out on our first 8-mile run together.Since that time, we have seen it all – from rain, to sleet, to snow – and everything in between. We ran on days it was so hot that shorts and a tank top were too much. We’ve ran on days that were freezing cold, and days that the north wind blew so hard it felt like we would never get home.Oh, the sites we have seen – from the early morning sunrises fitting of an art exhibit, to the bountiful wildlife. We seen ducks, geese, bald eagles, coyotes, and heaven knows we’ve seen lots of strange looking people.You were there as we crushed our old psychological and physical distance barriers. Our first 10, 12, 15, 18 and 20 mile runs were both exhilarating yet exhausting. You helped cushion each and every footstep, to help me reach my goal. You did not laugh when I gave in to the inner demons, and walked. You knew that the walking was good, and would renew my spirit and help me run farther next time. You were there during my first injury, an ankle thing that truly was not your fault (it was your evil cousin Mr. New Balance, with his propensity for wanting to play basketball after a 40 mile running week). You waited patiently while I hobbled around, and you even tolerated the strange bulges on my foot when I tried to run with an Ace bandage wrapped around my ankle.You were there when we ran our local 5k race – and help me shatter my previous time on the course by a minute and a half. You gave me the inner strength to challenge and beat a High School track star sprinting into the finish chute. You gave me the strength to carry on, and run a 12 mile pace run the very next day.After 450 glorious miles, it is time to say farewell, my friend. You have been replaced, but you will never be forgotten.





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