Best Running Friend Week (#BRFweek): The Important Thing About Karen

Shawn (left) and Karen (right) at the “#ss-crack” for a morning race start.

Rounding the corner of #BRFweek, a weeklong tribute to Best Running Friends: forces that push us farther than we thought we could go. As we celebrate all week long on our Facebook page, celebrate your BRF with our special deal in the Mother Runner Store: buy any $25 lifestyle tee, get one for $10 (one for you, one for your BRF). Use code BRF10 at checkout.

To checkout all the happenings of #BRFweek, head here. And then check out BRFs Shawn and Karen.

The important thing about meeting someone in MOMS Club is that you have at least one thing in common.

Your kids might be the same age,

You might be in a playgroup together,

Your kids might become friends.

But the important thing about meeting someone in MOMS Club is that you have at least one thing in common.

Shawn (left) and Karen (right): All sparkly and half-marathony.

The important thing about asking an acquaintance to do a RunDisney event is that they just might say yes.

You may find that you can train together,

You may be compatible in terms of speed,

You might have similar time constraints,

You might both like Salted Caramel Gu and Black Cherry Chomps (can you say “AMR discount” AND “split the cost?”).

But the important thing about asking an acquaintance to do a RunDisney event is that they just might say yes.

Never—or rarely—running alone.

The important thing about a training buddy is that you won’t have to run alone.

You might get up before the a#s crack of dawn on Saturday mornings to meet for a long run,

You might curse the same hills you have been running for 2 years because, “Will this hill ever get any easier?” (short answer: no),

You might find new hills to run that are beautiful and scenic, but are also so long that the conversation pauses until you both get your breath back,

You might feel like you are always slowing her down, only to be reassured that the pace has kept her injury free since you began running together,

You might love the fact that she always maps out the training plans and emails them to you to add to your calendar (actually, there’s no “might” about it. You will love it!),

You might move on from “I’m only doing a half-marathon one time, so it had better be at Disney, and I’m wearing a sparkly skirt!” to “So, instead of a marathon, how about we do Glass Slipper Challenge next year?”.

But the important thing about a training buddy is that you won’t have to run alone.

Many more finish lines to cross.

The important thing about finding a BRF is that you will receive priceless support.

You might text her several times a day about nothing and everything,

You might travel to other races together,

You might watch each other’s kids, now eight years older than when you met, during house closings and job interviews,

You might encourage each other when life has got you down,

You might lose your mother and weep in her arms during a long run,

You might even thank God for her every day.

But the important thing about finding a BRF is that you will receive priceless support.

{{Inspired by The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown.}}