Soleful Saturdays #solefulsaturdays

Saturdays on my blog will be called-Soleful Saturdays and will be to devoted to all things running.

Today’s theme is Sole Mates.

Often times running can be an individual sport. You lace up your shoes and head out the door.

Sometimes you have the pleasure of connecting with like minded runner’s, meeting up and running together and before you know it, you are Sole Mates.  For me, Sole Mates can also be that person(s) that supports you in your running crazy.

When I started running again during rehabbing my knee after ACL surgery, I had the pleasure of finding my local Black Girls Run BGR group. They met 2-3 times a week, encouraged all paces and ‘left no woman behind!’. What an amazing group of ladies and the support this group has turned out to be for me. Because of them I have become more confident as a runner and have challenged myself by joining the half marathon crew. Never before would I have imagined running over a 5k but with the encouragement of my BGR Sole Sistahs, I have completed 3 half marathons to date and have 3 more on my schedule for 2015.

After running my 1st half marathon, I was hooked and signed up to run another half in the fall and a 10 miler in the summer. While training for my second half, I found another running group-this one specifically for mothers. I was so excited, fellow mother runner- Yes!!  Moms Run This Town MRTT also had a local group and although they didn’t have weekly meet up run times, they encouraged posting on the FB page to find running partners. One Sunday, someone posted needing some miles and looking for company. At that run, I met 3 members of the MRRT group; Tisha, Cynthia and Ella. Cynthia has become such a race motivator and race encourager! She never makes me feel like ‘You Signed Up For What?!’ when others may. After that initial run, I joined a few other impronto meet ups in which I met my future early morning-long run Sole Mate Alanna. Alanna and I began meeting at o’dark hundred to get our long runs in in preparation for the Baltimore Half in October and Rock N Roll this past weekend.  She has encouraged and pushed me past my comfort zone and for that I am so grateful. We continue to meet every Saturday or Sunday (with other MRRT members or just the two of us)that we can to get our long run miles in together. I am looking forward to finding new running locations this Spring together.

My ride or die Sole Sistahs are my actual sister and her best friend! When I said to them last year ‘don’t you want to run a half marathon?’ they didn’t look at me like I had 15 heads but said ‘sure-Let’s Do It!’. We met in the cold and ran long runs together in preparation for the Baltimore Half! Completing our 1st half together is a feeling I will never forget. We completed Rock N Roll together as well last weekend. I hope to keep pulling them into my run craziness-like running 2015 miles together in 2015! We got this!

My #1 Sole Mate is my girlfriend Sabrina! This chick right here! She is my race coordinator or should I say czar!! She keeps me focused and is my voice of reason! ‘No Tamieka, you can’t run 5 halves this year-the way your knee is set up!!’. She is my motivator, ride or die and even indulges in my run crazy. Last year she joined me in running the Race for the Cure and is dusting off her running shoes to do it again ;). From helping me pack the night before a race (Do you have your… ?), to making sure I hydrate throughout the week before the race, to being gear check girl, photographer and #1 cheerleader-She ROCKS!!  She talks me off the ledge, debunks my negative talk and encourages me to no end! I am looking forward to more talks, race discussions and her overall support in my run craziness!!

My Sole Mates make me a better runner. Everyday and I am so grateful for each one of them!!

I am looking forward to making many more Sole Mates through my running journey.

Do you have Sole Mates? How do they support or encourage you?

#solefulsaturdays

Have a Fit-Tastic Day!!

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