Every Wednesday, the Deb from Deb Runs will be providing a word about which to blog. Kind of like a nice little blog prompt. Posts can be fitness or health related, but don’t have to be, so really anyone can play along. Just be sure to link up with InLinkz on Deb’s main post, and share the love by reading and commenting on other’s participant’s posts.

This week’s Word is FRIENDSHIP

Besides family, there’s nothing more important than friends. They are there when times get tough. They support your interests and keep you company. You could ask them for a favor because you know they would never refuse. You can’t imagine life without them.

I feel very fortunate to have a lot of good friends.

I am still in contact with a few friends from high school and college.  It is great to connect with them and reminisce (about the good old days.) I have also made a bunch of GREAT friends as an older adult from the activities that I do…tennis, boating, quilting, mah jongg, running, etc.  And I also have several from work (all 3 of my careers.) All of these people are precious to me.

still friends after all these years (45 to be exact)…wish I would see them more often

good friends from college…we spent our junior year in France together and when we get together it’s like 1974 again

Molly, whom I taught with for 20 years. We go to the track each summer…this being our our 31st year??

I taught with Eileen as well…she goes with me to NYC often and is a fellow Lez Miz fanatic

my dear friend and former French teacher, Michele

also 2 friends from my early teaching days

Cheryl was my colleague at my 2nd job- she likes boating, movies & yoga

Sherrie, from my current job, motivates me to walk more

I play mah jongg with these ladies every Friday and we do other things together, as well

my tennis friends are more than for playing tennis. We travel, eat out, knit and do many more things together.

some great boating friends

and those wonderful marina buddies who make my summer weekends the best

Judy, on the right is my closest friend. We went to college together and still get together almost weekly to chat. She is the most caring person you could meet.

I know I may have left some people out (Sorry) …. but this post is getting lengthy.

Since this is a running blog, I should mention those runners that I also consider to be my friends…

I met Judy through Facebook. We now run some races together and even weekly training runs

I met AJH in 2010 through her blog. Since then, even though she lives in VT, I think we have run at least one race a year together.

I met Mary at a race in 2010 and we have been friends ever since. Unfortunately, she moved to CA but luckily I have still gotten to see her each year.

You may have noticed that most of friends do not run. There are just a few overlaps.

MaryPat from tennis actually started me running

Natalie is a mah jongg friend who I inspired to run.

Terry is a quilting friend who is also a big distance runner

But all my friends support my running. (They may think I am nuts but don’t say so to my face LOL)

Happy Running! Do you have a lot of friends or just a few close ones? Do you friends share your love of running?

Every Wednesday, the Deb from Deb Runs will be providing a word about which to blog. Kind of like a nice little blog prompt. Posts can be fitness or health related, but don’t have to be, so really anyone can play along. Just be sure to link up with InLinkz on Deb’s main post, and share the love by reading and commenting on other’s participant’s posts.

This week’s Word is INSPIRATIONAL

I looked up the definition of INSPIRATIONAL and this it what I found: Imparting inspiration.

So what is INSPIRATION?

–a person, place, experience, etc., that makes someone want to do something

In this case, the something is run and even more specifically, run stronger, run farther, run faster.

So here are some of my inspirations:

• Strong Running Mamas

This group of beginning runners and their enthusiasm inspired me to go from just running 5ks to 10ks, 15ks and half marathons.

• Bloggers

There are too many to mention but I read their blogs and learn from their experiences.  They inspire me to be a better runner (and better does not necessarily mean faster.)

• Races

Every time, I run a race, even it’s not my best, I can’t wait to run another race.  Races are an inspiration.

• Scenic Places.

I love to run in different places. When I pass or visit a beautiful place, I always want to run there. What an inspiration!

• Running Friends

Judy inspires me with her healthy cooking, her training plans and her positive attitude to running

Mary inspires me with her distances and her ability to come back after injuries

• Older runners like Anne Garrett, who at age 80 set a Half Marathon record and then at 81, set a 5K record

and Harriette Thompson who ran a marathon at age 92.

They seem ageless. Could anything be more inspirational that that??

Happy Running! What is inspirational for you?